Highland Soldiers 1: The Enemy

by J. L. Jarvis

  Alex did not disagree.

  Duncan leaned back and stared into his drink. “I’ve kept my distance from her, but it was easier when Callum was here.”

  “Callum?” Alex was troubled and made no effort to hide it. “You’ve felt this way since before Callum died?”

  “Aye. And each time we’re alone, I’m fearing I might tell her. In time, anyone else would have noticed. Not Mari. She sees only the best in people. But Callum would have sorted it out. In that instant, two loves would have been ruined. A love between friends would have been lost to a love that would never have been. I never had Mari, and I couldnae betray Callum and lose my best friend. So I went away. It was better for everyone then.”

  “And now?” Alex asked him.

  “Now? It’s worse than before. I’ve lost Jenny, but Mari is here. It wouldnae be the same sort of love but, knowing that, together we might not be as lonely.”

  Alex leaned forward. “That, my friend, is a very bad plan.”

  Duncan nodded, offering no argument. “Can I steal her heart from a ghost? No. Nor will I torment myself by lying an arm’s length away in the dark.”

  Alex eyed Duncan with sympathy. How had he not noticed?

  Duncan said, “In the end, we could never be happy. I would never be Callum, and she—as much as I’ve tried to forget her—would never be Jenny.” He looked straight at Alex. “There is no help for me, but I wonder each day about Callum.”

  Alex’s face grew ashen. “Wonder what?”

  “Callum was in my hands when the ship went down. Sometimes I wonder if I could have done more to save him.”

  Alex made no effort to hide he alarm. “Are you saying…?”

  “No!” Duncan shut his eyes as though he could shut out the truth. “But I thought of it.”

  More for himself than for Duncan, Alex said, “But you didnae act on it.” Desperate to hear the right answer, Alex said, “Tell me you didnae act on it.”

  “No! But it haunts me. I had hold of his arms. I looked at him as I gripped his arms, and I held on. The force of our friendship was so powerful that I was certain it would see us through. Live or die, we would do it together. Then the wave hit, and tore us apart. I see his face every morning and night. And I wonder if I did enough.”

  “What more could you have done?”

  “Not want Mari.”

  Alex looked at Duncan, eyes fixed on the floor, and he wondered how Duncan had managed to hide it this long. But then, Alex knew of no secrets deeper than those of the heart. Nor was there a place further from logic. But logic had to rule now. Mari needed them all. She had left her home for a man who was gone, and she could not go back.

  “She depends on you now. But you know that,” said Alex.

  “Aye. She depends upon me to be a true friend. And I’ve betrayed her.”

  “So what will you do?”

  Duncan finished his drink. “I’ll stay here until she is stronger. After that, she’ll have you and Charlie and Hugh. Take her home to the Highlands and see that she’s settled. She needs a home, and a family.”

  “And you?”

  “I’ll go back out to sea. While we’ve sat here, my father’s probably gambled away the next quarter’s rent.” Duncan got up and went to the bar for more drinks.

  * * *

  They returned home to find Mari’s brother there, talking with her while Charlie eyed Jamie warily.

  Jamie said, “Richard Cameron’s going to save Scotland.”

  “Let him do what he will. We’ll not talk of it here,” said Mari.

  Duncan knew that tone of voice. She did not express anger easily, but it was there, just the same. Duncan took Charlie’s arm and pulled him into the other room. “Damn it, what were you thinking, letting him in here?”

  “She let him in. He’s her brother. What was I to say?”

  “No.” Duncan leveled a glare that made even Charlie uneasy.

  “Duncan, he’s the only family she’s got.”

  Duncan growled, “We’re the only family she’s got. We were the ones here with her when she needed him most. Where was he?”

  Charlie met his bitter glare without flinching. Alex said quietly, “Calm yourself, lad.”

  “He posed no threat to her,” Charlie said, as he put a few steps between them.

  Duncan barely bit back his rage. “Callum’s dead because of what her brother did—or have you forgotten?” He looked away. The damage was done. All he could do was stand by and be there when she needed him. And she would. And each time that she leaned on him, his heart would break just a little bit more.

  Tense silence sparked between the three men.

  In the other room, Jamie pled, “I cannae work to support myself. Marion, please, I’m doing the Lord’s work.”

  Mari said, “When did killing become the Lord’s work?”

  “A long time ago.” Jamie’s jaw tightened.

  “And when will it stop?”

  “When evil is banished.”

  “Oh, Jamie. There is no gun with the power to do that.”

  “I willnae stand idly by while the kirk is attacked. And our people.”

  “And why not, when your actions solve nothing?”

  His jaw clenched. “Mari, don’t stand in my way.”

  “I willnae do that. No one can, for you’ve always been stubborn. You’ll do as you want, but I’ll have no part in it.”

  She stood and started to go to the sitting room, but he grasped her wrist, forcing her to stop. “I need money, Marion.”

  She looked back. “I’m sorry, but I cannae help you.”

  “At least give me money for food.”

  “Take the loaf of bread there on the table, and go.”

  “Mari—”

  “No. I’ve no money of my own, and I willnae dishonor Callum by giving you his.”

  “Marion, please!” He gripped her shoulders until Mari winced.

  “Let me go, Jamie.”

  Duncan lunged toward him, but Hugh reached him first, gripping his collar and swinging a punch that knocked Jamie to the floor.

  “Hugh, no!”

  Hugh turned to her. “Mari, I willnae stand here and allow him to treat you—” He stopped with his mouth open, and looked down. He touched his side and looked at his hand, red with blood.

  Charlie pinned Jamie face down to the floor, while Alex forced a knife from his hand.

  Hugh looked at Mari as if puzzled, then reached his bloody hand toward her and fell into her arms. Duncan helped lower Hugh to the floor.

  Charlie gripped Jamie’s neck. “You damned weasel!”

  Alex pulled Charlie off. “Think of Mari.”

  Mari cradled Hugh in her arms. “Jamie, what have you done?”

  Pinned down, Jamie struggled to answer. “I didnae mean to. They attacked me.”

  “On your feet, you wee bastard!” Duncan joined Charlie in practically lifting Jamie into the air. Duncan jabbed him in the side and swung at his jaw.

  Duncan said, “I’ll take care of him, Charlie. Go see to your brother.”

  Mari had already started to tear strips of cloth from her shift and wrap it around Hugh’s waist. Alex finished the job while Mari rushed to Duncan. “Stop. You’ll kill him.”

  Duncan did as she asked, but gripped Jamie’s shirt and said softly, “If anything happens to Hugh, I will find you and finish this.”

  Hearing this, Hugh said, “Is it bad as all that?”

  Alex dismissed it with a smirk. “No. But if ye dinnae lie back, I can make it so.”

  Hugh obeyed, having no strength to do otherwise.

  Duncan and Charlie hauled Jamie through the door and down onto the street. “If you were not Mari’s brother, you’d be dead now, you ken?”

  “But if we see you again, best come dressed for your funeral,” added Duncan.

  Jamie scowled, but ran as soon as Charlie released him.

  Charlie went back upstairs and found Hugh cradled in Mari’s arms. Doing his best to h
ide his concern to see Hugh looking so pale, Charlie said, “Well, look at you. Some lads have all the luck.”

  Mari tried to smile.

  Alex said, “I’ll need to have a look before I stitch him up, hen. Would you fetch me a needle and thread, and then heat up some water?”

  Mari brought a pillow and gently slid it beneath Hugh’s head, and then saw to the rest.

  She had just put the kettle over the fire when Hugh said, “Callum? Does this mean I’m dead?”

  26

  The Long Journey

  “No, you’re not dead, and neither am I,” Callum said, as he stood in the doorway and forced an encouraging grin. Then a movement caught his eye.

  Mari had been stirring the coals, but the sound of that voice made her halt.

  Callum now had a beard and strange clothes, and he wondered if she would even know him. Each weary step of his journey back to her had been driven by longing for this moment.

  Mari turned slowly, reluctant to find out that she was mistaken. “Callum?”

  He held out his arms. She flew to him and buried her face in his chest and sank into the feel of his body against hers. Her lips grazed his neck as Callum held her face and kissed her.

  With eyes fixed on the reunion, Alex held a flask out in Duncan’s direction. With a quick glance, he said quietly, “You’ll be wanting this.”

  Charlie overheard and said with a smirk, “Why? Hugh’s the one being stitched up.” He looked at Callum. “By hell, where have you been?”

  “Not far from it, as it turns out.”

  Duncan drank and offered the flask back to Alex, who took one look at Duncan and pushed the flask back.

  Mari led Callum to a chair, while Alex began stitching up Hugh’s wound. Mari brought Callum a dram and then sat on the floor beside him. She rested her head on his knee, but looked up often to convince herself it was real.

  He told of his journey, and when he had finished, Mari said, “No more talk. I’m taking you to bed.”

  Charlie lifted an eyebrow.

  “He needs sleep. He’s exhausted,” Mari said, as color flushed her cheeks.

  “Ignore these unmannerly rogues,” Callum said, as he rose to his feet with no small effort. “I’ll deal with them later. I can see nothing’s changed,” he said over his shoulder with a smile. But despite his good spirits, he was weary and weak. He put his arm over Mari’s shoulder, and leaned on her as she held him by the waist and led him to the bedroom.

  After closing the door, Callum lay on the bed, clothes and all, and reached out for her. “Come here beside me.” She pulled a quilt over Callum and slipped into bed, fitting her body against his. He drew her close and held her in the sturdy arms for which she had yearned so many nights. “Och, my Mari, I missed you.” His worn body dragged him into a deep sleep. Mari lay on her side and did not tire of watching him until she drifted into her own sleep.

  * * *

  “Mari.” Callum slid his hand under her neck and cupped her head in his palm. She slept. Brushing his lips to her ear, he spoke in a deep, quiet whisper. “So many times just the thought of you kept me alive. Mari, love, I want you so.” He pressed his lips to her neck and trailed kisses back to her ear as he whispered, “Wake up, lass.” He rolled onto her gently and slid his hand to her breast.

  Mari’s scream cut through the air. Duncan burst through the door. “Mari!”

  He found Mari trembling in Callum’s arms.

  Callum held her shoulders and searched her face. “What is it, love?”

  “I thought it was—” She stopped as her eyes drifted to Duncan. Feeling Callum’s eyes on her, her eyes darted back to him. “It was a bad dream.”

  Duncan opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it as Callum enfolded Mari into his arms. It was not his place to comfort her now. He went to the window and checked to make sure no one was outside. Then he left, closing the door gently behind him.

  As he watched the door close, Callum said, “’Twas more than a dream.”

  Mari pushed her hair back from her face with fingers that trembled. “I woke up and you were on top of me. I didnae know it was you.”

  Callum’s eyes darkened. “And who would it be?”

  Mari stared at the window in silence. When Callum inhaled to speak, she said, “Kilgour.”

  “Who in hell is this Kilgour that you’d think of him before your own husband?” Anger quickly overtook his concern.

  “Kilgour was the highland dragoon who shot Jamie. He raped and killed Ellen, and he tried to do likewise with me.”

  Callum’s anger turned to concern. “Lass, do you still dream of that after so many months?”

  “No. It was not that I dreamt of it. He was here.”

  Callum gripped her shoulders. “By my sword, I will kill him.”

  “He’s already dead.” She told Callum the story of how he’d climbed in through the window. How before he could rape her, she’d stabbed him with Callum’s sgian dubh. Callum listened. He was quiet, but his jaw clenched. When she was finished, he sat on the edge of the bed.

  She put a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Please dinnae turn from me.”

  Painful silence hung in the air as Callum tamped down the rage and the guilt that kept him from being able to think or speak. “I wasnae here to protect you.”

  “I protected myself.”

  “That’s not what I wanted for you.”

  “No. But you’re all that I’ve wanted, and you’re home. So come back to bed and show me what you want for me now.” She put her arms about his neck, and he spun about to hold her and lower her onto the bed.

  Duncan sat by the fire in the sitting room while the steady creak of the bed in the next room punctuated the gentle rain outside. He finished his drink and went out to the dark rain-soaked street.

  The next morning he was on a ship bound for Barbados.

  * * *

  “Here’s some broth, lad. Try and take some.” Hugh looked at Mari, then closed his eyes. As the hours went on his face drained of color. Helplessly, they all watched over him.

  Charlie brought in a doctor.

  “It’s a hell of a time for Duncan to go sailing,” said Charlie.

  Alex was quick to defend him. “How was he to know Hugh would take a turn for the worse? He’d already signed on.”

  “And why is that?” asked Charlie.

  “Charlie,” cautioned Callum, “it’s not Alex’s fault.”

  Alex glared at Charlie. “I’m sorry. In spite of your high estimation of me, I cannae walk on water; nor can I guide Duncan’s decisions quite yet. He did what he felt was best. That’s all I need to know, and it is enough.”

  The doctor came out of the bedroom looking somber.

  “How is he?” asked Mari, rushing to him.

  “He’s weak. The stab wound went deep. I’ve re-bandaged the wound. He needs rest. Keep him comfortable.”

  “But he’ll get better,” said Mari, looking for confirmation.

  Alex eyed the doctor, but asked nothing. He had seen too many men after battle, as had the others.

  Callum walked him to the door. Before leaving, the doctor turned back and spoke softly. “You’re Highlanders, aye?”

  Callum nodded.

  “Catholic?”

  Callum nodded, this time more slowly.

  The doctor looked at Callum and said with alarming frankness, “You’d best send for a priest.”

  Callum’s brow furrowed as he nodded. He closed the door and stood facing it, trying to regain control of the rising emotion and the deepening grief. He knew Mari’s touch on his arm, and he turned around, a false smile on his lips.

  “What did he say?” she asked, worried.

  “He’ll be back tomorrow to check on him.”

  Mari nodded, but caught a glimpse of the truth in Callum’s eyes. “Will he?”

  “Aye.” He put his arm about her and drew her back toward the others.

  In the morning, Hugh opened his eyes and looked up at
the sun shining in through the window. He lifted his head, as though he might sit up, but gave up the effort. Mari sat beside him and reached around from behind to prop him up against her.

  “I’m cold, Mari.”

  As she wrapped her arms around him, he asked for Charlie.

  Charlie gripped his hand. “I’m here, Hugh,” he said as he clenched his jaw and fought back tears that shone in his eyes.

  “Will you stay with me today?” Hugh asked him.

  Alex looked on with a clenched jaw and stoic expression.

  Charlie forced an engaging smile. “Aye, of course I will, Hugh.” He sat on the edge of the bed and took hold of his hand.

  A faint smile formed, but faded as he gasped for air and stopped breathing.

  Mari froze.

  He gasped again, and once more. After that, he was silent.

  “Hughie, no,” moaned Mari.

  Charlie pulled his brother’s limp body into his arms and held him. A mournful sound came from deep in his chest as he gently rocked the limp body.

  27

  The Drovers’ Road

  The men sat in the sitting room while Mari made tea in the kitchen.

  Callum said, “Someone’s got to tell Nellie. I’ll not have her find out from a letter.”

  Charlie was so lost in grief that he seemed not to have heard, but he looked up at Callum. “I cannae face her until I’ve made his murderer pay.”

  Alex signaled for Charlie to lower his voice so Mari would not overhear him.

  “I will go,” said Callum. “It makes sense for me to go. I’m a wanted man, so I cannae go to the funeral, and I cannae stay here for very long. And unless I leave Mari behind—which I willnae do—I cannae go off to avenge Hughie’s murder. So it only makes sense that I go.”

  “Aye,” said Charlie, as the others gave a nod.

  “I’ll tell Nellie, and I’ll take the lass home. Mari’s been through enough.”