“Paisley wishes to see you, although I cannot guess why,” said Brin.
Mackinzie almost called Brin a scunner, but just yesterday, she vowed not to do that anymore. She nodded and ran to the castle, burst through the door and started up the stairs. That’s when she heard Laird Campbell call her name.
“Mackinzie, what are you up to this time?”
She slowly turned, walked back down the stairs and curtsied to her laird. “Paisley has asked for me.”
“Oh, I see, although I cannot guess why she would.”
Mackinzie puffed her cheeks, ignored his comment and hurried on up the stairs. Seated at the table, Sawney set his bowl aside and smiled. Now he knew her name and it was a very fitting name for one so enchanting. He liked her, he liked her a lot.
She opened the door to three bedchambers before Mackinzie found the right one. Paisley was wide awake and half sitting up with pillows supporting her head and back. “Are you very ill?” she asked, walking to the side of the bed.
“Nay, not very. I wanted to thank you. You were right, I did need help.” Paisley returned Mackinzie’s beautiful smile without guessing how privileged she was to receive it. “We did not finish and I have many questions still. Do sit and tell me all about...” A light knock on the door interrupted her. “Come.”
Sawney didn’t hesitate to walk to the other side of the bed, bend down, and kiss his sister on the forehead. Then he put the back of his hand on her cheek. “No fever this day, I am relieved.” Trying not to be obvious, he only glanced at Mackinzie who looked shocked to see him. “I am her brother,” he managed to say.
“It was Mackinzie who sent Lenox to get me,” said Paisley.
This time he did look at her. “I am very grateful.”
She couldn’t think of a thing to say so Mackinzie simply nodded.
“Tell me, why did you wish me not to tell Amos and Joel you were...” He could see he had raised her ire and tried to quickly relieve her distress. “Tis only my sister, I’ll not tell the Campbells.” Again, she did not speak and it was clear he had upset her.
“Mackinzie,” Paisley started, “my brother is a good lad. He means no harm to anyone.”
“A good lad honors his word.”
Sawney narrowed his eyes, “I gave my word not to tell Amos and Joel, nothing more.”
He was right, as much as Mackinzie hated to admit it. At length she cast her eyes downward. “I will go now.”
“Please stay,” Paisley begged. “I have few friends left and I was hoping...”
“Allow me to go instead.” Sawney acted annoyed, mockingly bowed to Mackinzie and left the room.
Mackinzie could not help herself and breathed that awful word, “Scunner.” Then she caught her breath, realized she had just insulted Paisley’s brother and looked to see her reaction.
Paisley giggled, “There are days when I agree with you. Come, sit by me and...”
The door suddenly opened again and Sawney poked his head back in. “Sister, I have decided to tell the Campbells the truth, but please allow me time to do so before you tell Mackinzie. I’d not like all the Campbells to hear it before I’ve a chance to explain.”
No sooner had he closed the door than he opened it again. “And do not say we’ve had her horse all this time. I see now it was not leading us, it was merely going home and we followed.” Again, he closed the door and again opened it. “And...”
“Sawney!” Paisley chastised.
“Very well.” This time he closed to door for good.
“‘Tis your horse?” Paisley asked.
The last thing Mackinzie wanted to do was lie to her only friend so she changed the subject. “Is he always bothersome?”
“Aye, he has been doing that since he was tall enough to reach the handle. I am older, you see.” Paisley expected her to say something and when she didn’t, she swore Mackinzie to secrecy and began to tell her what happened.
Sometimes Mackinzie’s eyes widened. She nodded occasionally, took on an expression of sympathy at the unbelievably bad things, and smiled at the things Paisley thought were funny. All the while, she marveled at the joy she felt over having a friend. More than that, she could not believe she had a friend who trusted her enough to confide in her.
ONCE HE HEARD THE TRUTH, it was a full three minutes before Laird Campbell spoke. Seated at the long table in the castle’s great hall with Sawney, Keter, and Hew across from him, he carefully considered the problem.
First, he wrinkled his brow, brightened his eyes, and then wrinkled his brow again. “I say, ‘tis quite a quandary to be sure. ‘Twould not be the first time one clan overwhelmed another and threw them out. Most kill all the lads and keep the women and children. There once was a clan by the name of Cammaray, ever heard of them?”
“Nay,” said Keter.
“Few have, but they lived on these shores. ‘Twas the very same that happened to them. Now they are no more. The Celts sailed these waters years hence and I hear they too have clans. Could be they began ours, but before the Celts, came the Vikings...” Laird Campbell paused in mid-sentence to look at Sawney’s large size, then Keter’s and Hew’s. He scratched the back of his head and changed the subject. “That settles it then.”
“Settles what?” asked Sawney.
“You shall live among us and you shall call yourselves Campbells until you return to fight for your land.”
Sawney couldn’t hide his relief. “We are grateful beyond measure.”
“Lads, with little protection for your bonnie lasses and fine children, I’d not sleep nights even after three chalices of ale.”
Keter was pleased, but still a little troubled. “Yet we worry we put your people in danger.”
“Some of our lads will like a good fight and if they come here, we’ve the advantage. We will send flocks of sheep against them, force the Davidsons into the ocean and see they all drown.
The mental image made Keter chuckle. “Yet...”
Laird Campbell raised his hand to silence Keter. “My consent is far from unselfish. ‘Tis shearing time, we’ve more sheep than we know what to do with and we could use the help. We take the wool to market, you see, and fill our...the king’s coffers with the barter. This year we will hold back more than usual. You will need Campbell kilts for your war and when the sheering is done, you will make more weapons.”
It was a good plan and Sawney was pleased. “I have never sheered.”
Laid Campbell smiled, “You’ll take to it soon enough. First you catch the sheep. The dogs help with that, but ‘tis the hardest part. Sharpen your dagger and try to cut the wool and not the sheep.”
“Now,” he continued, “we’ve a few empty cottages and the rest of you will stay in the castle with me. I’ll be glad of the company. I loathe this place when it is empty and children will rightly liven it up.” He paused and directed his next remark to Hew. “You’ll be needing protection from our unmarried lasses. Once they’ve set their minds, I’ve a devil’s time getting them to relent.”
Hew was flattered that Laird Campbell thought he would be more sought after than his brother. “How many Campbells are there?”
“Not enough to sheer the sheep. Now, what say you, will you stay?”
Sawney still had a question. “What of your people? Will they tell where we are?”
“To the north, the cliffs cut us off from the next clan. There is a clan on the island to the east of us, but when they sail, they sail south to take their goods to market. England has a great thirst for our wool and fish.”
Laird Campbell took a moment to sip water from a goblet. “Were it not for Amos and Joel riding guard over the shores of His Majesty’s kingdom, we would hear nothing at all. We have seen few come through the forest as you just did. How you managed it, I do not know. The forest is fraught with any manner of danger such as sudden cliffs and lochs that take days to go around. So you see, the Campbells have few to tell. Nevertheless, I will say the king orders their silence. That should do it.�
� Suddenly, Laird Campbell’s eyes widened. “Has the fever passed your way?”
“Aye,” Keter answered. “These four months.”
“Good, it came to us some time ago and I feared we might pass it to you. We’ve a laddie not yet recovered.”
“Some of our people think Thyme helps,” said Hew.
Without another word, Laird Campbell got up, walked to the large wooden doors, opened one, filled his lungs and shouted, “Thyme! Let us all eat our fill of Thyme.” Then he walked out the door and let it close behind him.
Alone finally, Keter, Hew and Sawney exchanged worried looks. “‘Tis simple, according to him,” said Keter.
“If we go to fight first and not let them come here, we are assured the lasses and children are safe,” said Hew.
Sawney nodded. “Agreed, but first we sheer the sheep.”
“How long do you think that will take?” asked Keter.
Hew slapped his cousin on the back. “I believe we are about to find out.”
BRIN CAME IN TO SEE to Paisley’s comfort and when it was time for the noon meal, she brought bowls of food for both of the young women. It was such a foreign, thoughtful thing for Brin to do, Mackinzie actually smiled, which took Laird Campbell’s daughter completely aback.
As soon as Brin was gone, Paisley continued her story until all was said and she was exhausted. Mackinzie stayed long enough for Paisley to fall asleep and then quietly left the bedchamber.
Sawney was not in the great hall when she went downstairs, but his brother and two other MacGreagor men were still there. After hearing their story, Mackinzie thought enough of the MacGreagors to nod. Then she noticed laird Campbell watching her and quickly went out the door, lest he remembered he was supposed to punish her for tearing a plaid and calling that dreadful woman a scunner.
All that was forgotten as soon as she reached her cottage and went inside. She considered first the way Paisley’s brother liked to plague his sister and how Paisley enjoyed it. He did not seem like a laird and indeed did not act like the only one she knew. But then, the only time she talked to Laird Campbell was when she was in trouble.
Next, she thought about Paisley’s abduction. Not once had Mackinzie feared such a thing and wondered if it happened often in faraway lands. Perhaps there was more to fear in the world than she knew. She always thought Laird Campbell’s warnings were simply to keep her in the village where he could watch her. He often said he cared about her, but how was she to know he truly meant it?
Moreover, she liked Sawney more today than the day before. His open affection for his sister touched Mackinzie’s heart. Because she liked Paisley, perhaps it was easier to admire the goodness in her brother. Whatever the reason, she did fancy him.
Mackinzie found her goblet, filled it with water, and went to sit on her tree stump again. She had ample food, which meant she did not need to do any washing this day and perhaps she could see Paisley again.
Joel and Amos came out of the castle dressed in the King’s colors, mounted their horses and set out to make their daily ride along the beach. Before the day was finished, Amos and Joel would encounter men from three different clans and make mention of a gray wolf with blue eyes.
However, when Laird Campbell came out and shouted for all the Campbells to gather in the courtyard, Mackinzie decided it was time to go for a walk.
DENA WAS ON HER BEST behavior, catering to her husband’s every whim, even though he paid little attention to her except when others were around. She found his actions offensive most of the time, but at least she was now mistress of his clan. She gave instructions to the other women who cleaned and cooked.
Still certain the wealth was in the Keep somewhere, Neasan allowed no one except Dena to enter the top two floors and even she was denied entry to any but her own bedchamber. At times, she gave the reasons for his odd behavior considerable thought. Since he did not say, she was left to suspect it had something to do with Paisley.
William had not yet returned and according to Neasan’s less than loyal men, there was no mention of him or the five with him in any of the gossip. Upon that subject, he ranted and raved for at least an hour until a woman came to report her missing chair and table.
The night before, she took them outside, gave them a good scrubbing and left them to dry. That morning, both were simply gone and no one saw a thing.
Neasan’s men still had not gotten control of their wives, who began to stick their tongues out at his keep when they walked past. However, his perch in the third-floor windows afforded him a view of nearly everything and he was beginning to spend more and more time there. How else was he to know what was going on?
He had yet to find out who warned the Haldane, who told Carley of his plot to do away with the elders, if indeed he actually said that, and his whalebone had not been put back in the glen where it belonged. Even so, he had a wife now who would behave should any other lairds come to admire him.
On that note, he went back down stairs and turned his attention to his next attack. Which would it be, the Kennedy, the Graham, or the Swintons? Just as he sat down at the head of the table in the great hall, he heard a shout outside.
“Sawney has come back!”
“Neasan raced to the door and yanked it open. “What? Where?”
“A Kennedy saw him,” Grant said from across the courtyard. Although none were brave enough to cheer, he noticed several were smiling just before Neasan came out.
“Where was he seen?” Neasan demanded as he walked to Grant.
“In the MacDuff woods.”
“Alone or has he raised a full force?”
“The rumors do not say,” Grant answered.
Neasan paused to think about that. If Sawney had warriors with him, the rumors surely would say so. If alone, it made perfect sense for Sawney to hide among the MacDuff. They were cowards who would never say no to a man the size of Sawney. “Was he in the MacDuff village?”
Grant cleared his throat. “I do not know, but it is doubtful. The MacDuff would be too frightened to protect him.”
“True.” Neasan started to pace to the end of the courtyard, stopped and turned. Just as he expected, Bearcha stood with his back against the wall of keep with his arms crossed. “What say you, Bearcha, would the MacDuff willingly hide Sawney?”
Bearcha could not help but smile. “Perhaps. Send word you mean to attack and if they have him they will gladly give him over.”
“Indeed they will. Whom should I send to tell them?”
“I will go,” said Bearcha, as he stood up straight. He could use the diversion and hoped Neasan would send him.
Neasan rolled his eyes. “You are needed here. Send whomever you will and do it quickly.” Satisfied, Neasan went back inside his keep. Sawney was close and he had a lot to consider. As an afterthought, he yelled, “And where is my bone?”
CHAPTER XI
AS SOON AS THE PEOPLE gathered, Laird Campbell introduced the MacGreagors. It did not take long for the unmarried women to figure out only two of the men were married and shrieked their delight, which made Laird Campbell roll his eyes.
He explained the MacGreagor’s quandary and made his followers swear not to give their location away...by order of the King. Then he took Keter, Blare and their families to two of the empty cottages so they could settle in. He gave a third, two-room cottage to the three cousins, Lenox, Diocail and Moffet, and left them there, but not until he told them not to bother finding food. He had no doubt the unmarried women would keep them well fed. Again, he rolled his eyes.
That left Paisley, Sawney, Hew, Daniel, and Daniel’s three children to live with him in the castle, which suited Laird Campbell just fine. His grandchildren were too old to cuddle, had not yet produced a great-grandchild and he’d taken a shine to little Flora.
NOW THAT PAISLEY WAS out of danger, Sawney and Hew took a walk down several paths to familiarize themselves with their temporary home. Sawney really wanted to see where Mackinzie lived, but she was nowhere in s
ight and he was disappointed. Then he had a thought. “We left in such a hurry, we should go back to the hill and make certain we did not leave any hint of us behind.”
“I agree,” said Hew.
Together, they went to the king’s massive stable, found their horses, rode out of the village and then along the shore at the edge of the water toward the hill. Just as they were about to round the bend, Sawney spotted her and made his brother stop.
Mackinzie stood on the top of the hill next to the black stallion and never had he seen a more pleasing sight. Though he could not hear what she said, it was plain she talked to the horse and the horse seemed to be listening. Twice, Mackinzie wrapped her arms around the stallion’s neck and hugged him. Then she moved away and as she did, the horse came down the hill and began to run along the shore, splashing in the seawater as he went. Too soon, the horse disappeared around the end of the cliffs.
“I thought we came to see if we left something behind,” said Hew.
“That we have.”
As soon as Mackinzie spotted the brothers, she ran down the other side of the hill and went into the forest. It was perhaps bad manners to run away, but when did she ever care about such things? She did not fear them and was well armed. It was just that she was not in the mood to talk just now, and especially not to two unfamiliar men at the same time.
Mackinzie carefully navigated the rocks over the creek and then hurried back to the castle. If Sawney was on the hill, she could go up to see Paisley without him bothering. She scurried through the castle door, ignored Laird Campbell, and quickly climbed the stairs. When she reached Paisley’s door, she softly knocked and waited. A second later, she was invited in and sat in a chair beside her friend’s bed.
Paisley smiled and patted Mackinzie’s hand. “I told you all about us, now it is your turn and leave nothing out.”
A Time of Madness Page 13