Chapter 9
Shaw excused himself from the festivities in the great hall after the meal, no longer wanting to have to listen to everyone congratulating Spring on her shot earlier.
He headed toward the door, passing by the large crowd of people standing around his new wife, asking her how she’d managed to split the arrow.
“Leavin’ so soon, my laird?” asked Leod, spotting him at the door.
“Aye.” He cleared his throat. “I’ve got a long day planned tomorrow since I’ll be takin’ the shipment to the rest of our clan in the Lowlands.”
“I thought I was doin’ that,” said Leod, sounding confused. “I’m the one who always takes our shipment to Lothian.”
“Well, I’ll be doin’ it instead. Now, if ye’ll excuse me, I’d like to get some sleep.”
He made his way to the bedchamber, wondering what to do about Spring.
She would be coming to the chamber soon and he wasn’t sure they should make love again.
They’d shared a special moment yesterday, but today she’d shamed him by outshining him on the practice field.
He would never hear the end of it from everyone how a woman bested him.
“Bid the devil,” he spat, sitting on a chair and pulling off one boot, throwing it across the room.
He’d never felt so humiliated in his life.
He had hoped to go to sleep before she arrived and then sneak out in the morning before she awoke.
If so, he wouldn’t have to make the decision of whether or not to make love to her tonight.
He stood up and pulled off his leine. As he was reaching for his belt, the door opened and Spring walked in, stopping in the doorway.
Their eyes met but, as usual, she said nothing.
There was still light pouring in the window.
He regretted the fact he wouldn’t even be able to hide away from her in the cover of the night.
“Come inside and close the door,” he told her.
She closed the door and made her way across the room. “What are ye doin’?” she asked.
“What does it look like I’m doin’? I’m goin’ to bed.”
She glanced at the light coming in the window and nodded. “Oh, I see.” Then she walked over to the window and closed the shutter, lighting a candle and putting it next to the bed. He dropped his plaid and slid beneath the covers. When he looked back at her, she was pulling off her clothes.
“What are ye doin’?” he asked.
“What do ye mean?” She dropped her clothes onto the chair, standing before him stark naked.
Damn, why’d she have to do that? Now, all he could think about was coupling with her again.
“I suppose ye’ll want me to fulfill my role as yer wife again.
” She slid onto the pallet next to him and lay flat on her back with her legs opened wide. “Go ahead,” she told him.
“Losh me, Wife, why do ye have to act that way?” He didn’t think he could feel more humiliated than he already did, but she’d just managed to make him feel worse.
She acted as if he were a monster that would demand she lay on her back each night while he had his way with her. As if it was naught but her duty.
“What way?” She pushed up on one elbow. “Since the sun has yet to set, I imagine the only reason why ye’d be goin’ to bed was that there was a need ye wanted me to fulfill.”
“Nay! That’s no’ why I’m in bed.”
“Then what is it?” She did her blinking thing again that was a cross between innocence and being snide. He wasn’t sure what to think.
“I’m goin’ on a trip on the morrow and just wanted to get a good night’s rest since I’ll be leavin’ at the crack of dawn.”
Silence. He turned on his side and closed his eyes, thinking it was the end of the conversation, but he was wrong.
“So where are we goin’?” she asked.
“Ye are no’ goin’ anywhere. Ye’ll stay right here until I return.” He talked with his face smashed into the pillow.
“All right, if that’s what ye wish. I’ll stay here and take care of yer children instead.”
His eyes popped open. Mayhap this wasn’t such a good idea after all.
If he left her here without his supervision, she’d be teaching Colina how to shoot an arrow as well as wrestle a full-grown man to the ground before he returned.
And who knows what would happen where his sons were concerned.
They still didn’t seem to like her. He knew it had to have been his boys who suggested Spring shoot against him, probably just wanting to start trouble.
If they did something to anger her, she might haul out and hit them.
Nay, it would be better if he kept a close eye on her.
“Get some sleep,” he mumbled into the pillow. “We leave at dawn.”
Spring headed toward the stables just before daybreak the next morning with all three of Shaw’s children in tow. The sun was just starting to rise on the horizon and the sky was a beautiful shade of orange.
“Why did we have to get up so early?” asked Leith, rubbing his eyes as he walked.
“Does Da ken ye’re doin’ this?” asked the older of the sons, Donel, being suspicious as always.
“Dinna talk so loud, Donel,” Colina complained, stifling a yawn. “Ye are hurtin’ my ears.”
“Dinna tell me what to do or I’ll hurt more than yer ears.” Donel reached over to hit his sister on her arm, but Spring’s hand shot out and grabbed him, keeping him from doing it.
“Let go of me,” said Donel, trying to pull out of her hold.
“Treat yer sister with a little respect,” she warned him, still holding tight. “Ye are her older brathair and should be watchin’ out for her instead of tryin’ to hurt her.”
“I do watch out for her,” said Donel, looking up into her eyes.
“It doesna seem like it to me.”
He made a face. “Well, mayhap I dinna, but who are ye to tell me what to do?”
“I’m yer mathair now, like it or no’,” she said, letting go of his hand.
The boy scowled at her and rubbed his wrist.
Shaw headed to the stables right at sunup, strapping his weapon belt around his plaid as he walked.
Spring wasn’t in bed when he awoke and he had the feeling, again, that mayhap she’d run back to her clan.
He thought she’d be satisfied that he was taking her with him on his trip, but perhaps she wasn’t.
He started wondering if she had felt scorned when he didn’t even try coupling with her last night.
Now, he was starting to regret his decision.
He turned the corner to see Spring with his children, and he heard her telling Donel that he needed to protect and respect his sister.
He stopped and watched and listened. A smile spread across his face.
She’d told the children she was their mother.
While he knew that would not sit well with the boys, he was at least glad she considered herself their mother.
He also liked the way she was firm with Donel. Shaw hadn’t been very good with disciplining his children ever since their mother died. He hadn’t wanted to upset them more, but mayhap Nairnie was right. Perhaps it was possible he hadn’t been living up to his expectations of being a good father.
“Da!” cried out Leith, spotting him and rushing to his side. “Spring dragged us out of bed and made us come out to the stable.”
“She’s tellin’ us what to do,” added Donel, hurrying over as well.
He liked the fact his boys came to him, but Colina was staying close to Spring. He still had a lot of work to do to strengthen the bond between him and his daughter.
“Spring?” he asked, walking over to join her. “Why did ye wake the children?”
“I thought ye’d want them to come with us on the trip. After all, they are yer family. Leod told me ye are takin’ a shipment to the rest of yer clan that resides in the Lowlands.”
“Oh, Da, I’m so excited,” said Colina, no longer looking tired. “I’ve always wanted to go to the Lowlands. Thank ye.”
“Me, too,” said Leith. “Ye’ve only taken Donel there and I want to see the Lowlands as well.” He glared at Spring. “But does she have to come with us?”
“Yer children have never been to the Lowlands?” asked Spring, sounding very surprised. His children sounded so excited about the trip, even though he hadn’t planned to take them with him. Now that Spring had made it sound like it was his idea, how could he disappoint them?
“I’ve been to the Lowlands,” said Donel. “Therefore, I’m no’ goin’.” He crossed his arms over his chest in a motion of finality, upsetting Shaw by his behavior.
“Yes, ye are goin’.” Shaw headed into the stable and the others followed. He met Baen and Leod who were filling up a cart with the shipment. The stableboy was hitching up the horses.
“Da, I’m no’ goin’,” complained Donel.
“Ye have to go,” said Colina.
“Nay, I dinna.” Donel reached out and hit Colina on the arm. “Now shut up.”
“Donel!” Spring stood with her hands on her hips. “What did I tell ye about the way ye treat yer sister?”
“Ye’re no’ my mathair! And I hate ye.”
“Me, too!” added Leith.
“Donel! Leith!” Shaw gripped the boys by the shoulders of their leines. “Apologize to Spring.”
“Why should I?” spat Donel. “She’ll never take the place of Mathair. I hate her. I dinna want to go anywhere with her.” Donel broke free and ran from the stable.
“Leith?” Shaw still held on to his youngest son.
“I’m sorry,” said Leith with his eyes cast to the ground. “But Da, does she really have to come with us?”
“Aye. She does.” He looked up to see Spring staring at him, waiting for him to do something about Donel. He understood what a hard time Donel was having but, still, he shouldn’t have spoken that way. “Get the children into the wagon,” he told Spring. “I’ll go talk with Donel.”
He headed back toward the keep wondering what to say to his son. Donel didn’t want anyone replacing his mother and Shaw couldn’t blame him. Getting married again was supposed to solve Shaw’s problems but, instead, it had only created more.
“Come, Colina and Leith, we’ll wait for them in the wagon,” Spring told the children. Baen drove the wagon out of the stable with one horse pulling it and an extra horse tied to the back. Then Leod started fastening down a tarp that covered up the shipment.