Chapter 18
Kyla returns with a new friend, Gillie. Brodie brings the two of them home while Alex and the others go on to finish the battle.
When they arrived on Cameron land, it was near dark, but Kyla knew she would not be able to sleep.
“Uncle Brodie, I hope Mama is still up.”
He gave her a sideways glance. “Lass, I doubt your mother will get a wink of sleep until your sire, your brothers, and you are all at home. She has Elizabeth and Maeve with her, but this is the first time she’s been without so many of you.”
Uncle Brodie took his horse directly to the steps of the Cameron great hall. Nicol had left his horse at the stable, and he and Gillie and a stableboy followed them on foot to the keep. The stableboy would take the horse back once they dismounted.
“Where are we, my lord?” Gillie peered up at the towers around the Cameron wall with such an obvious sense of wonder, Kyla herself felt as if she were seeing it for the first time. “And what was the big building we passed? It looked like a kirk.”
“That was Lochluin Abbey, and this is Aedan Cameron’s land,” Nicol said. “He married Kyla’s Aunt Jennie. Get the door for me and see who’s in the hall. Hopefully, we’ll find Kyla’s mother. She’s been riddled with worry ever since Kyla was taken captive.”
Nicol helped Kyla down from the horse while Gillie scurried up the steps. Her uncle dismounted and supported her other side. She set her foot down carefully to test it, but the pain was excruciating. “I cannot walk on it, Uncle Brodie.”
Then her mother appeared in the doorway, hand-in-hand with wee Maeve, and everything else fell away. “Kyla?” Maddie said on a gasp. “Is it truly you?” Then she let go of Maeve’s hand to rush to her side. “Oh, Kyla. Thank the Lord above you are here.”
Maddie hugged her, and Kyla could feel the fine tremors in her mother’s shoulders and the wetness of her cheeks.
“Forgive me, Mama.”
Since it was dark, Kyla guessed her mother hadn’t noticed her condition. Uncle Brodie stood behind her so she wouldn’t fall, and she clung to her mother’s shoulders as much to keep herself from falling as for comfort.
Her mother took a step back, her hands still on Kyla’s shoulders, and asked, “You are hale?”
Then she paused, brushing the hair back from her face, and Kyla knew why.
“Oh, Kyla.” Her mother had noticed her face—the swollen eye and the horrible bruises on her cheek.
Maddie’s hand reached up to touch her, but she didn’t.
“I know exactly how you feel, lass. I’m so sorry.”
She could see the tears falling in rivers down her mother’s cheeks.
“Mama, I’ll heal. Do not worry.” She kissed her mother’s cheek and rubbed her arm, hoping her dear mama wouldn’t collapse in front of her.
“I was so hoping your father would get to you before anything happened.”
Aunt Brenna, who had followed Maddie out the door, motioned to Brodie. “Bring her inside so Jennie and I can check her over. I want to look at her foot.” Aunt Jennie had come outside with her and she nodded her agreement.
Her uncle carried her up the steps, Gillie trailing behind him. Once they made it to the hearth, the lad peppered her mother with his questions. “Are you Kyla’s mother? Finlay and I saved her.” He took Maddie’s hand and tugged on it. “We got her out while Simon and the Buchan were arguing.”
Her mother turned around, brushed her tears away, and asked, “Who is this?”
“I’m Gillie. I helped Finlay. He said if I helped him I could go to Grant land. And I met Alexander Grant and he said I could come along and be Kyla’s protector and then I could go to Grant land. I can be in your clan.” The hopeful expression in his gaze was sure to affect her mother.
Her mother stopped and patted his shoulder. “My thanks, lad, for protecting my daughter. I think you must have built up a big appetite working so hard. Would you like something to eat, mayhap a meat pie?”
“Do you have an extra one? I’ve not had a meat pie since Mama and Papa passed. My mama used to make the best mutton pies. What kind do you have? But I love them all, so any will do.”
Kyla glanced at her mother and saw the new tears gathering in her eyes just at the thought that a lad had lost both of his parents. Her mother had such a soft heart, and she was sure to watch over Gillie for some time.
Uncle Aedan entered the keep just then, and he must have overheard Gillie because he said, “Here, come along with me. I’ll show you the warrior’s meal we have just for you.”
Kyla said, “And something sweet, Uncle Aedan.”
Aedan nodded, and the two went off together. Brodie set her down in a tufted chair in front of the hearth, squarely in front of the warm fire there.
“The heat feels good.” She shuddered at the memory of Davina’s cold tower.
Aunt Brenna took over. “Kyla, I want you to tell me all the places you hurt, and how you gained each of your injuries.”
Once she sat in the chair, she said, “I’m verra tired, Auntie.”
Uncle Brodie said, “She slept most of the way here.”
“Her body needs to heal,” Aunt Jennie said. “We should check her foot before she sleeps, Brenna. If ‘tis broken, we’ll need to straighten it.”
Her mother said, “Brodie, why don’t you and Nicol go with Aedan? You can find something to eat and get some ale for the guards outside.”
Once they were alone, her mother whispered, “How badly, Kyla? Did they steal your maidenhead?”
“Nay, Mama. The thing that hurts the most is my foot. My hip is also sore, but not too bad. I have a headache from the fist I took, but ‘tis tolerable. I just cannot stand.”
Aunt Brenna removed her boot and assessed her foot, turning it and prodding it as gingerly as she could. She then checked her head and her eye, her aunt’s quiet mannerism soothing her in a way she could not explain.
Kyla decided this was as good a time as any to tell her mama about Finlay.
“Mama, I know I shouldn’t have gone. ‘Twas foolish on my part, but I was truly worried about Davina.
The note was a trick to get us there. I was verra na?ve and I apologize.
Finlay helped only because I insisted, so do not fault him. I love him, Mama.”
Her mother’s gaze lifted to hers, a small smile spreading across her face. “You do?”
“Aye. Spending so much time with him made me see him in a new way. He’s kind and he makes me laugh. If it hadn’t been for Finlay, I would still be under the control of those awful men. He and Gillie watched over me. He did his best to protect me, and they beat him for it.
He asked Papa for my hand before Uncle Brodie brought me home.”
“He did?”
She’d never seen such a surprised expression on her mother’s face, but it was one of happiness. “Can you believe it, Mama? I’ve finally found someone wonderful to love.”
“And what did your papa say?”
“He said he would think on it. Finlay said he wishes to prove he’s worthy of being a Grant. He thinks ‘twas all his fault, but I convinced him to go. I would have found another to take me if he did not.”
Aunt Jennie sent some lads off to set up a tub in one of the chambers. “And what did you have to say about this proposed marriage?”
“Papa asked me if I loved him and I said I did. I hope he’ll ask me again when this is over.”
“Kyla, I’m so pleased.” Her mother gave her a light hug. “Come, we’ll get you cleaned up.”