Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
The Intervening Months
Time dragged during the remaining hot summer days as Elayne’s thoughts often turned to Cailean.
They escaped the forge for the river and fished for trout and salmon. Mrs. Logan accepted their catch and cleaned the fish for dinner and smoked the rest. Thomas ate dried fish, oatcakes, or bannocks for breakfast.
In July, Elayne and her father received a surprise gift from Cailean.
A farmer brought two small goats, a male and a female.
The goats had been born in May and weaned.
Next year they would be old enough to have more goats.
The farmer unloaded hay in the pen for the goats, then he carried each one into the pen, allowing them to adjust to their new home.
Elayne brought a ceramic bowl and filled it with water, setting it inside a wooden box so it would not fall.
The goats drank water and lay on the hay beside each other and napped.
The farmer assured them that Cailean had taken care of all the costs for hay and the goats’ care. “I will check back later and bring more hay for feed and insulation for winter.”
“Thank ye for bringing them to us. It was very kind and generous of him. Oh, they are so adorable and cuddly.”
“Their coats are so soft,” said Thomas, excited to see the goats and pet them. “I ken how to milk the female goat after she births baby goats because I milked goats on my father’s farm. I can show ye how, Elayne.”
“I would appreciate that very much.”
William gave Thomas instructions for caring for the goats.
“Make sure to fill their water bowl every day. When very hot, ye may need to refill it. And make sure ye lock the gate to the pen. If they escape, they will make quick work of the garden, and I ken Mrs. Logan and Elayne would have our heads. Also, we would need to work longer hours to pay for food.”
“Longer hours than we already do?” asked Thomas, looking concerned.
“Aye, much longer. Make sure the gates are properly locked.”
“Won’t Mrs. Logan be surprised to see them?” asked Elayne to her father. “We should make small bells to put around their necks. I will get leather from the tanner.”
Much of Elayne’s time in the forge involved teaching Thomas finer techniques that took more time, skill, and practice to perfect. Thomas had improved hammering the short and long nails and making ax heads. Elayne instructed him how to make a dirk, and he was thrilled to finally craft a full weapon.
“Thank ye, Elayne, for teaching me how to make a dirk. I can’t wait to learn how to make a mighty sword.”
“Ye must perfect making a dirk before ye can make a sword, but later in the week I will show ye the steps to make a sword, and ye can help me pound and shape the metal.”
Thomas’s eyes lit up with delight at the prospect.
The work was laborious, but with Thomas at the forge, it gave her time to complete other tasks.
Elayne dedicated time to pounding out an iron coil to hold a pillar candle.
She created many small and large lanterns, and Mrs. Logan sold them at the market.
After Thomas had worked at the forge for a couple of months, her father gave him two days to go spend with his family.
William said, “I will give ye the money ye earned from the summer fair. Do ye want to take it with ye and give it to yer family? Or do ye want me to save it for ye now?”
“Please give me half of it now and save the other half for later. My parents need it, and I will give it to them to help my family.”
“Ye have made a wise decision. Ye worked hard making items to sell at the fair and earned the money. The farrier is taking a wagon, so he can give ye a ride. Be back on Monday. See Mrs. Logan and Elayne before ye leave, as they have things for ye to take to yer family.”
“Thank ye, I will.” Thomas ran to see the ladies.
Elayne gave him a large lantern with a pillar candle to take to his family.
She also handed Thomas a sack with dried heather in it for his mother, and an oilskin sack for his father to use when out in the fields so he could hold food inside.
Finally, Elayne gave him one of the candle holders he had helped make from blocks of wood he had polished.
“Yer parents will treasure this gift since ye made it for them.” Elayne handed him a container of short and long nails for his father.
“My father will appreciate these. He’s always in need of nails on the farm for repairs or for building.”
Mrs. Logan had several loaves of bread, a jar of berry jam, and smoked meat and fish for him to take home. “Later in the year, we may have potatoes for ye to take with ye. Be a good boy and be helpful to yer parents when ye get home. Off with ye now. It won’t do to keep the farrier waiting on ye.”
“Thank ye.” And he ran out the door carrying a sack with the gifts, the coins tucked inside one of his boots.
Elayne returned to the forge, the soot, and the ashes once again, and pounded the iron on the anvil until dinnertime.
Tomorrow, she would see Bessie, expecting they would make more candles or soap.
Of course, Elayne hoped to uncover more about Cailean’s whereabouts and the results of his efforts to date.
She hadn’t seen Bessie since the fair, as Elayne and her father had to replenish many of their stock items and teach Thomas how to make various things at the forge.
The next day, Bessie welcomed Elayne. “Dear lass, there ye are. In the nick of time. Cooler today than this past week. I thought we would make taper candles. We used so many for guests at the castle during the fair. How have ye been?” Bessie urged her to sit down and served her breakfast before they began the day’s work.
“I am fine, Bessie. My papa and I have been busy teaching our apprentice, Thomas. Ye are right, it has been hot. I ken there were people from many clans attending the fair. I dinna ken how ye did it all.”
“Numerous people helped. Aye, it was a merry time for the clan. I saw ye dancing, and it looked like ye were enjoying yerself.”
“Aye, I enjoyed dancing, and it was my first time attending a dance. I wish Cailean could have been here to share in the fun. He enjoys dancing. I’m sure he would have liked to take part in the competitions too. Do ye have any news?”
“I heard he traveled to the Macintosh clan and planned to travel to the Brodie clan next. I don’t have any specific information. But I ken the laird was well pleased with what Cailean had achieved.”
“That is good news. Cailean would be happy to ken his father is happy with his work and achievements. I ken it was challenging and I imagine each clan is very different. It is many days in the saddle, traveling from one clan to another. It’s fatiguing work.”
“Speaking of work, we best get to making the candles today. We’ll talk more later.
I want to hear what ye have been doing.” Bessie and Elayne began working over the vats of hot rendered tallow, dipping wicks and tapers over and over until they were the desired circumference, and hung them to dry.
Bessie and Elayne took a break for lunch with ale to quench their thirst. “Did ye meet any man ye liked while dancing at the summer fair? Or is yer heart taken by another?”
“I enjoyed dancing for the first time. But another has claimed my heart. Did ye ken Cailean taught me how to dance when he learned I didn’t ken how?
We danced in the garden one night as he taught me the steps to two dances before he left for his brother’s wedding.
We did nae have any music, just the stars and the moonlight. ”
“I’m glad ye enjoyed yerself. It sounds wonderful, lass.”
“Aye, it was. Although I hoped Cailean could return for the summer fair, but I ken his work for the laid and his clan are more important.”
“Ye must miss him fiercely.”
“Aye, I do. Cailean taught me so many things. Hunting and fishing, and he lent me books on many subjects. Cailean is dedicated to the people of his clan and wants to learn as much as he can.” Bessie noted the expression of happiness on Elayne’s face and how her eyes lit up talking about Cailean.
“Ye ken each other a long time to learn these things ye described.”
“Aye, he met me in the forest when I was young trying to imitate and fight like the warriors I saw training. I was clobbering a poor pine tree. I think Cailean felt sorry for the tree.” Bessie and Elayne laughed at the image.
After finishing their lunch, they resumed making candles until that evening, before dinner.
Before Elayne left, when she and Bessie were taking tea, the laird’s steward delivered a letter to Bessie.
Noting the red wax seal, she said, “It’s from Cailean.
” Bessie quickly read the letter. Then she shared with Elayne his news.
Inside the envelope was a second folded parchment with a red seal, addressed to Elayne. She was so excited she could hardly contain herself. It was her first letter from Cailean. Bessie thanked Elayne for all of her work.
“I ken ye are eager to read his letter privately, so off with ye now. Thank ye, Elayne.” Bessie bid Elayne goodbye.
“Aye, Thank ye Bessie,” she said blushing. Elayne stuffed the letter in her pocket and went into the back garden. Finding a secluded spot and under a canopy of trees, she carefully broke the seal and read the letter from Cailean.
My lady, Elayne, lady of my heart.
God have ye in his blessed keeping until we meet again.
I desire heartily to hear of yer welfare.
Time stands still without ye, and I miss ye.
I hope ye are nae working yerself to the point of exhaustion, as ye usually do.
I’m sorry I could nae come back for the summer fair, but the laird of one clan expected my arrival.
Our business has been successful thanks to yer wonderful ideas about negotiation ye shared with me.
I will meet with the leaders of the Grant clan in a few days.
If ye have a letter for me, give it to Bessie and she will seal it for me inside one of her letters and nae one else will ken. I look forward to when I can see ye. I long to hold ye in my arms again.
Farwell my lady,
Cailean
Reverently touching his script, written with a flourish, Elayne traced it with her fingertips. She smelled the paper and caught Cailean’s scent. His hands had touched this paper last. What will he discover in her family’s clan?
Elayne had a few sheets of paper and ink at home. She would write a response tonight and give it to Bessie to be sent whenever the messengers would take correspondence to Cailean.
Elayne prayed his remaining visits to other clans went well and he could soon return home; fall had already arrived in the Highlands, with its gold and red leaves littering the ground, heralding the change in the weather. In a couple more months, winter would knock on their doors.
Elayne read and reread Cailean’s letter. It was no substitute for him, but it comforted her to hear his voice through his written words. She could picture him smiling and telling her what he wrote to her in the letter. Will he learn anything helpful about my family?
After dinner, her father left to walk Mrs. Logan home, and Elayne had privacy, giving her the opportunity to write a letter to Cailean.
Elayne described the market and the summer fair and her activities, then continued with other news.
Cailean MacPherson, Son of Laird MacPherson, My Champion,
God keep you in his blessed keeping. I pray for your safe travels and the success of your alliances with other clans. I miss you.
Yer garden has grown by leaps and bounds.
Thank ye for the two goats. They have fun playing and cavorting in the pen ye built for us.
They have gotten much bigger since the farmer brought them to us in July.
I ken we will expect baby goats by next May or June.
Thomas dotes on them, as they remind him of his home and farm.
Thomas is progressing well as an apprentice; he is eager to learn.
He goes hunting with me for safety, but also to make sure we have plenty of food.
He eats more than my father and is always hungry.
I swam in the loch a few times over the summer.
But it is nae the same without ye. I miss ye, Cailean, and hope all goes well on yer quest. I gaze at the moon and stars at night and think of ye and wonder where ye are.
I helped Bessie make candles for the castle three times, and soap, too, since ye left. I learned a lot and enjoyed helping her. She is a kind and sweet woman.
Thank ye for teaching me how to hunt, fish, and dance. I couldn’t dance if ye hadn’t taught me. I kept wishing it was ye holding me in yer arms and we were dancing together.
Keep well until I see ye again.
Love,
Elayne
Elayne sanded the paper to ensure the ink had dried, folded the parchment, and wrote Cailean’s name on the front.
She dropped red wax on the back of the letter, sealing it.
Taking the signet ring that hung around her neck, she placed an imprint into the wax.
Elayne put away her paper, ink, and other writing supplies, then placed the letter in her pocket.
The following day, Elayne walked into the kitchens and found Bessie hard at work on meal preparation.
“I thought it best to write a reply to Cailean right away, even though I ken the messenger may not leave for a few days.”
“Aye, that is so. I will put it with mine later tonight, and they will send them together. I imagine the laird and lady and mayhap his sisters will write letters to him too, so the messenger may not tarry here long.”
“Thank ye. Good night, Bessie. Let me ken when ye need help with anything.”
“Aye, lass, that I will do. I expect next week I will need to make more batches of soap. I removed the soap we made last month from the molds and put it away, so they are ready to use again. Lady MacPherson and her daughters all remarked to me about how they loved the fragrance of both of the soaps ye made. I ken they would like more.”
“Thank ye for letting me ken. I’m happy they liked both of the scents.”