Chapter 6 #2
They enjoyed riding to the next fishing hole through the forest. Cailean maneuvered his horse to another fast-flowing stream close to the castle. He pointed out landmarks to her so she could locate the spot in the future.
After they dismounted, he dug with his dirk in a couple of spots, finding plump worms to place on their hooks. They flung their lines in the water and within a few minutes, they were rewarded.
“This is so much fun,” Elayne whispered to him. She feared scaring away the fish if she used a louder voice. He grinned at her; she clearly enjoyed fishing with him.
Later, he said, “It is time to head home before it gets dark.” He gathered the second sack of fish and tied it to his horse, then lifted Elayne into the saddle. He leaped into the saddle behind her.
“Would ye like to learn how to hunt with a bow tomorrow? I would like to teach ye to hunt if ye’d like.”
“Aye, I would like to learn. I ken it may take several lessons for me to be successful at shooting anything.”
“It takes time and practice. I’d be happy to teach ye. Ye can smoke the meat so ye never run out of food. Here, I have a surprise as a reward for all yer hard work.” He dug into a sack and pulled out a blueberry tart for Elayne and gave it to her, wrapp-ed in a cloth.
“Ye brought me a sweet treat. Thank ye. But what about ye?”
“I will forgo my tart for sweet kisses from ye.” She turned her head to kiss him, and he smiled at her. She held up the tart for him, and he playfully bit into it. “Ye eat the rest.”
Elayne sighed and moaned over the delicious mouthwatering tart, making Cailean even more aroused than he already was. He shifted in his seat, trying to put more space between them.
Changing the subject to something to distract him, Cailean said, “When ye go into the forest, ye must always be alert. Ye must be wary of getting too close to wild boar, especially if they have piglets. I’ll show ye what to look for when we go hunting.
So ye don’t get lost, do ye know how to find yer directions? ”
“Aye, I ken how. My father taught me.”
“Ye must keep a close eye on the weather. In the Highlands, storms can come out of nowhere. Do not venture alone if the sky looks like it will rain or snow. It is not worth the risk to ye.”
“Aye, I will remember what ye teach me.” They arrived at the place where they needed to part company so no one would see them together. “After I leave, I want ye to keep one of the fishing poles so ye can fish when I am not with ye.”
“Thank ye, Cailean. I will see ye tomorrow.” Cailean gave her a long and tender kiss before releasing her to walk to the village with the sack of fish.
Reluctantly leaving her, he rode back into the keep to the stables.
He removed his saddle, fishing gear, leftover lunch, and blanket rolls and carried them inside the castle.
Cailean returned to the courtyard and greeted and talked to people but kept his eyes peeled for Elayne. He hoped he would ferret out where she lived, feeling she wouldn’t want to tell him if he asked. He glimpsed her momentarily, but then she vanished into a crowd of people.
When he returned to the castle, he dropped off his things in his chamber.
On his way to the kitchen, he spied the steward and discussed with him the information about the Grant clan.
In the kitchen, he returned the sack to Bessie.
“Thank ye, Bessie. Ye ken how I love tarts. I’m going to perish with not having yer cooking when I travel to other clans after Raulf’s wedding. ”
“I seriously doubt that, lad. With yer charms, ye will have all kinds of women trying to feed ye. I have nae doubt. But if ye find a food ye love, bring me back the recipe from their cook.”
“I will be certain to do that. I have a favor to ask of ye though.”
“A favor?”
“Aye, I wondered if ye would teach me and a friend of mine how to make yer tarts? They love yer tarts and would like to learn how to make them.”
“Sure, I’d be happy to. When do they wish to learn?”
“How about Friday, after lunch? Will that work for ye?”
“Aye, that would be fine.”
“Bessie, please keep this between us.”
“Of course, Cailean. No one else need to ken.” Cailean gave her a hug and walked away smiling.
The next day, Cailean took Elayne hunting and showed her how to differentiate animal tracks.
He taught her the finer points of holding and using a bow and arrow.
Showing her the best places to look for animals, he reminded her to keep her bearings and listen to the sounds in the forest. Cailean shot a brace of pheasants, then prepared them to take them home.
He and Elayne walked hand in hand, returning to his horse.
Before she left him, Cailean took her in his arms and kissed her deeply and more passionately than before.
Elayne walked to Mrs. Logan’s house and gave her the brace of pheasants to prepare for dinner and to smoke for later. She didn’t want her father to ask questions about how she acquired the pheasants.
“Ye ken how to shoot with a bow?”
“I’m still learning, but these were on the ground, pecking in the grasses.
If they were flying, I couldn’t aim accurately and hit one.
I need to practice. If Papa didn’t need to work so much, he could take me hunting, and we could have more meat for winter, when food is scarce.
Anyway, if we smoke this meat, it will improve our winter stores.
And ye ken how much my father likes to eat meat. ”
“That is true, but I dinna ken how he will become less busy unless he agrees to an apprentice. I’m still trying to talk him into it.
Thank ye for bringing the meat to me. I will pluck the feathers so we can sell the longest feathers for arrows.
The rest I will clean and keep to stuff pillows with.
Ye and I can sell them at the summer fair and hopefully earn enough money for beautiful fabrics. ”
“Thank ye. I will try to go hunting again. How many pheasants are needed to give us enough feathers to make one pillow?”
“Between five and six for a soft pillow, most likely. More for a firm pillow. I have saved up chicken feathers—we can use those too.”
“Thank ye. I will return to the forge to make more nails and horseshoes. Ye will surprise Papa with yer pheasant stew for dinner. And dinna forget the ale—it will put him in a good mood.” Elayne’s eyes sparkled with mischief.
“Aye, ye are right. I will speak to him after dinner when his belly is full to convince him to take on another apprentice.”
The next day, Elayne could hardly wait to complete her work before meeting with Cailean.
After she completed her morning’s work, she washed and changed into a dress with the least number of patches.
The dress was tight in the bodice, but she hoped it would do for whatever Cailean had in mind for today.
Cailean met her at the well and whispered to her to follow him into the castle.
Elayne’s heart pounded as if stampeding horses tore through her chest. She kept her distance behind Cailean so it would not appear that she followed him.
Inside the castle, he took her hand and led her to the vast kitchens of the castle, releasing her hand before they stepped into the kitchen.
An older woman with a bright smile and a spotless white apron greeted them.
“Good afternoon, Cailean. Are ye after more of my tarts?”
“Aye,” he admitted as he smiled brightly at her.
“And who might this lovely lass be?”
“This is my friend, Elayne, who loves yer tarts as much as I do. She wishes to learn how to make them.”
Elayne curtsied to the lady with bright dancing eyes and a kind smile. “It is an honor to meet ye. Cailean shared his tarts with me and I have experienced nothing like it. I love yer tarts and I hope ye will be so kind as to teach me how to make them.”
“Lass, I am most pleased to meet ye. My name is Bessie, and I am the cook for the laird. Cailean, if ye wish to eat my tarts, ye will learn how to make them as well. I have assembled the ingredients. Mind, it takes longer if ye have to gather the berries.”
They washed their hands and put on aprons. Bessie gave them each a bowl and a spoon to mix the dough. All thumbs at first, Cailean had more flour on his clothes and on the floor than in the bowl. Elayne giggled, watching him.
It was clear to Bessie how much Cailean wanted to impress the lass, so she gave extra him step-by-step instructions.
Bessie could tell Elayne knew her way around the kitchen, as she expected the next steps and asked questions, whereas Cailean waited to be told what to do.
Elayne and Cailean completed making the dough and put them in tins.
In a clean bowl, they measured the berries, sugar, and lemon juice.
Soon, they had the tarts filled with several types of berries and they placed them inside a clay oven that was Bessie’s pride and joy.
“Don’t be daydreaming. Ye must keep an eye on the tarts. Make sure they dinna burn. If they do, ye have to make fresh batches.” Bessie showed them how to use the bread paddles to move the tray of tarts to bake evenly. Elayne observed how much Cailean perspired in the warm kitchen by the hot oven.
“What do ye think?” Elayne said. “These look done to me.”
“Aye, they are done and have a lovely golden color. I’ll show ye how to pull the trays from the oven and nae drop any on the floor. Ye did a wonderful job for yer first time. Cailean, ye need more practice making and less practice eating.”
Elayne tried to stifle her giggles, but she couldn’t contain them. Laughter bubbled forth and Cailean enjoyed her mirth, even at his expense.
“What ye say is true, Bessie. But mayhap ye’d like to come with me hunting one day and shoot a deer with me?”
“Get on with ye. I don’t have time for yer shenanigans. Hang up yer aprons on the hook yonder and wash yer hands. Lass, perhaps ye can take a towel and dust off the flour on Cailean.” Bessie chuckled.