As quickly as he could, Edan took care of the move. Then, he went inside to see if his assumption was correct. Rhona was folding up her bedding, as the rest of the women slowly came awake. When he stared at her, Rhona only lifted her chin. It was notice to Edan, Rhona did not care if he knew of her spying or not.
The female was as arrogant, as a young laird with his first woman. It did not bother Rhona in the slightest to be found out. Infuriated, Edan turned to find Daracha. He and Adie needed something in their bellies before they met with Ian. He did not have time to deal with Rhona. There were barrels he must construct before the day’s end.
Not only did he need to navigate the bog of smugglers and thieves in Glasgow, he must also keep a good eye out on Rhona. He prayed God would keep Rhona from mischief. Edan needed all the help he could get from any quarter.
This was not an all-out war where one knew the enemy. It was all subterfuge and talking out one side of the mouth while sleight of hand took place beneath the table top. This was not the place for a Highlander. It was the domain of the lowlanders and Edan felt he was sorely out numbered.
Chapter Eleven
Edan made sure Adie had something to eat, as it was going to be a long day for the both of them. Other than short breaks to drink and rest for a moment, there would be nothing but hard labor all day, until sundown.
The first few days were likely to be the most difficult. His leg was not quite back to what it had been before his...journey. Edan never wanted to say the name of the battle again. He did not wish to think about it. The killing field could remain buried with Hamish.
Ian came for them shortly before the sun began to drive the fog away. Edan mounted the horse and pulled Adie up in front of him. Together, man and boy, followed Ian Smith to the shop of his cooper. Making note of the way, Edan carefully surveyed the area they were traveling through.
The buildings were primarily businesses of various kinds. There was a dwelling, or two scattered here and there. It appeared the area might have been a small rural village at one time, before the city swallowed it up.
The cooperage was in a building which had a side yard. A gate closed off the yard from the street. A high wooden fence kept the actual yard from being spied on. One would need to get inside the fence to have a good look around.
The arrangement was not unusual, as Edan had seen several buildings of a similar nature further up the street. Once inside, Smith pointed out the stable. Adie was sent away with the horse to settle it inside.
Ian produced a key for the lock which secured the door to the shop. Once the door was open, Smith handed the key to Edan. "I'm trusting ye with tha key. Dinnae lose it, or there will be nae gettin in, until tha bloody thing can be replaced. 'Tis tha only key, mind?"
"Aye." Edan took the key and placed it into the small pouch which he took from the front of his shirt. "I'll be careful with it. Are ye nae goin tae bring me over here daily?"
Ian shook his head and the hair secured at the back of his neck bounced. "Nae. I've decided tae trust ye, MacGrough. I've ah notion once yur word is given, ye'll hold tae it."
Pushing the pouch back under his shirt, Edan tucked the cloth back inside his trews. "Ye've tha straight of it. MacGrough word once given is as gospel."
"Was that how yur kin was drawn intae tha mess? Ah promise was given an ye held tae it?
Raising one eyebrow, Edan shook his head. "Interesting assumption, Smith. As I said tae tha ferryman, we lost several over the winter an tha rest tae reivers. Nae more, nae less. An speculation, as tae what happened tae them after tha lot left the glen, is nae more than ah waste of time."
"Edan, tha horse has been dealt with. He's watered an there was ah bit of fodder, so I gave it tae him." Adie came running up to Edan. Grateful for the change of subject, Edan pushed the door open and walked inside. The boy followed him in leaving Smith standing in the yard.
Silently, Edan looked around the shop. The windows faced the yard and there was sufficient light to make seeing the work easy. Having the windows front the yard, also kept prying eyes from seeing the work going on inside.
The man he was replacing knew his craft. There were stacks of staves for barrels of varying sizes leaning in neat piles against the far wall. Nail heads formed lines on the floor of the shop giving the proper dimensions for the barrels. Each line had an arc at the end of the line which allowed him to lay the staves out on the line, before putting them into the metal hoop and shaping the barrel itself.
In the glen, the measurements used were not precise. In this case, he would need to be accurate to the smallest degree and was happy to find the anker and half-anker measure laid out. Further, the anker and half-anker measurements being Dutch, were not what he usually dealt with.
The problem would come in getting down on the floor to lay it all out. That was were Adie would be the most use to him. Squatting on the floor to lay all the staves out along the line was going to be the lad's job.
The nail heads on two of the lines were shiny with use the staves having been slipped into place over them, often. Adie waited near the bench for instructions.
Stopping for a moment, Edan considered that was another thing they would be doing without, the whiskey the alewife had made. The little they had would need to be conserved. The water here would not be the same. They could try to recreate it, but it was likely to be subtly different.
With a slight shake of his head, Edan turned to Adie. "Lad, tha second stack of staves are tha ones we'll work from here. We'll save tha best for ah pattern, mind? Be sure tae leave tha one chosen alone. 'Tis doubtful we've enough staves for tha entire run. I'll need tae make more. Ye ken?"
"Aye. So what do ye want done first?"
Edan turned and pointed to the half-anker line. "Tha second line, there. I need ye tae bring over enough staves tae go from tha end of tha line, up and over tae tha top of tha arc. Dinnae try tae carry them all in ah grab. Make three or four trips, if need be."
With a nod of his head, Adie hurried over to the stack. Edan followed. He needed to pick out the best of the lot for a pattern.
They worked through the morning, taking one break around mid-morning. He demonstrated to his helper the best method of lining up the staves. Adie learned he might need to remove one stave and replace it with another to get the exact width. As the staves cured, there were variations in the shrinkage.
Edan counted out the approximate number of staves they would need. As he suspected, they would need to fashion more. He thought the cooper probably had at least two apprentices, or perhaps, an experienced helper. He would not have that luxury.
His involvement and the lad's was enough. Bringing in another person, an unknown quantity was something he was not prepared to do. Blane, Adie's younger brother, might be of some help, if he could be spared the following day. If the women were still working on cleaning the salt out of the shipment of lace, Jean would wish to keep him there.
At the end of the day, two finished barrels sat outside under the eaves of the shop. Not knowing if Ian wished them cured, he had done so. After gently charring the inside of the barrels, Edan set the top and bottoms on the casks and left them outside. They were finished, complete with bungs. Edan needed to speak with Ian and find out if the barrels were stored somewhere else, until needed.
Both man and boy were exhausted. While Adie fed the fire to steam the barrel, so they could bend the bottom staves into position, Edan had worked on forming staves. He found oak blanks stored around the far side of the shop.
The steaming of the barrel over the firepot was quickly grasped by Adie. As they rode the horse back to the warehouse, Adie asked several questions. On receiving answers, both fell silent, until they reached the warehouse. There, bannock and stew waited for them.
After eating, Adie and Edan took to their beds. Edan was happy to find Daracha had moved their bedding to a far corner of the big building. The privacy was an unexpected pleasure. Daracha told him she had hoped for a bit of play time, but seeing h
ow drained he was, she settled for a long kiss.
Getting out the horseradish salve, she began to stroke it into the long muscle of his leg. Beginning just under the knee, she put a firm pressure on his calf muscle, as she knelt at his feet. With Edan on his back, she placed his foot against her stomach and drew her hands firmly toward her. Daracha worked the salve into the sore muscle as she stretched it.
As always, Edan lay compliant, as she worked on his leg. She knew it was painful, but he did not object. As the tightness left his leg, Daracha bent his foot and toes backward to stretch the muscle out further.
Still wearing his shirt, but with the loose trews removed, Edan slipped into sleep. Gently, his wife placed his leg back on the bedding. She flipped the covers over him, before going off to wash her hands in the stream behind the warehouse. If she touched any sensitive skin with her hands or fingers the burn would keep her awake for some time.
Daracha eventually nestled into the bedding beside him. Edan mumbled something as he pulled her close. Tugging his hand across her stomach, she craved his touch. Making love would have been nice, but this would have to do for the moment.
On the following day, Edan took both boys with him back to the workshop. He put Adie to work lining up the staves again. His younger brother carried finished staves to Adie from the stack against the wall.
Edan went back to forming staves from the cured blocks of wood stacked outside the workshop. Until the boys were ready for him to begin setting the selected staves into the hoop, he needed to increase their supply of staves.
He worked, as quickly, as he could. Edan trimmed the wood, beveled it where needed and planed it smooth. Planing was not absolutely necessary, Edan simply knocked down the rough spots. But there were some things he was not able to compromise on, if the barrels were to be water tight.
When the shop was closed for the day and the area put to rights again, two more half anker barrels sat outside beneath the long eaves of the shop. Blane was eager to please and worked hard on the jobs he was assigned. Edan was happy with both of Jean's boys, they were good workers.
Neither lad was able to read the ruler. Edan determined to find out what the two boys had been taught by their mother. Both were intelligent. Along with feeding and clothing all of the women and children, his responsibilities now included making sure they were able to work at a trade. His people must be able to support themselves in their new circumstances.
For an instant, Edan almost cursed Hamish for putting him in the role he found himself. Instead, he turned the curse onto the Sassenach king. For as sure the winter would come to the land, the King was not a Scot, but a Sassenach. He found he did agree with the ferryman in the matter. This was not a real union, but an enslavement. Scotland would surely be the one doing the serving.
Finding such thinking only caused his blood to boil, Edan banished all thought of the union. Instead, he tried to force his thoughts in another direction. They needed to hold on to, as much of their hoard of gold, as possible.
If any of the women did find other men, he would still be responsible for the MacGrough children. Adie and Blane would be his first concerns. For now, they could help him in the shop. Perhaps, they would eventually help him in the woodworking shop, which he intended to establish, as soon as possible.
The sooner they were finished with this work for Ian, the sooner they could begin working on their own place. After having seen the deed Ian held to the place in Grahamston, Edan was satisfied that Ian owned the property. Whether or not he would actually sign the property over to Edan was another matter entirely. There were far too many variables in the pot. Edan did not trust Ian.
At the close of the day, Edan found his leg was less bothersome. Daracha's nightly care of his leg helped greatly. With a small smile, Edan thought of the night they had taken their pleasure in the fog.
She was a lusty woman. Thinking of her quickly brought him to a state of arousal. His smile broadened, as Edan adjusted the front of his trews. Allowing his mind to drift in that direction was not helpful with the work. It was extremely helpful to his mood.
Having always been a bit dour, the situation he now found himself in had increased his doleful outlook on life. The only bright spot in what was a pain filled childhood was Hamish. The loss of his older brother nagged at him. Daracha eased the ache in his heart, as the salve eased the ache in his leg.
She was also his eyes and ears during the day. In the evening, once they were abed, Daracha related the details of the day to him. She understood he needed to know what was happening in his absence. It was how he learned Rhona was experiencing morning sickness.
"Has she said anything to anyone?"
"Nae, darlin. But she near cried her heart out most of tha day. Her mither had tae coax her tae eat this eve."
With a small sigh, Daracha nuzzled his throat. "I feel so sorry for her. But at least she has somethin of Hamish."
The hard knot in his chest expanded and Edan felt close to tears again. Clenching his jaw against them, Edan tightened his hold on his wife. "Aye. Well, she's nae tha only one hurting here. Ah thing she needs tae ken."
"Edan, all realize how difficult this is for ye. Dinna be cruel tae Rhona." Daracha felt him go rigid in her arms. "Nae! 'Tis nae who ye are. I ken tha torment Rhona has put ye through. All in tha glen understood Rhona hated ye an resented Hamish's love for ye. Ye have borne up under tha nastiness for years. Dinna let her win now. If she causes ye tae give like for like, tha nastiness wins. Do ye ken, dearest?"
Sliding across his throat, Daracha's warm breath caused his skin to tingle. His reaction was immediate to the touch of soft lips on his throat. The tip of her tongue reached out to trace a path up to Edan's jaw.
"'Tis unfair tae touch me as ye are. How can I think, when ye're stirring something other than my mind?"
"Edan MacGrough, I ken ye well. Ye're ah lad of many talents. Ye already have tha answer tae my question. Ye're stalling, so spill it, darlin laddie."
Her soft hair tumbled around her shoulders and a strand tickled his skin. With a sigh, Edan gave in. "Well, nae. I'm nae going tae give tha witch tha satisfaction."
After nipping the skin on his throat, Daracha kissed the spot. "Cease with tha epithets. There is something else driving her. Rhona's behavior is nae reasonable, nor normal. I'm nae fully sure of this, mind? But Mither an I have discussed tha situation ah time or two. Rhona is wounded, as well. Mither suspects her Da may have caused her to hate all men. He was ah right bastard tae her before he died."
"An how does that excuse her treatment of me? What makes tormenting ah cripple ah thing Rhona can escape tha consequences of?"
A sharp nip on his throat caused Edan to take a quick breath as the pain hit him. "Daracha!" He exclaimed. "What..."
"Never again are ye tae call yourself that! I'll nae abide it! Yur leg may cause ye bother at times, but ye're nae ah cripple."
"Rhona has labeled me such more times than I can think of."
"Aye. An what did her name callin do tae ye?"
Silently, Edan considered her question. "Drove me tae do better when sparring with Hamish. It caused me tae walk further, climb higher and caused me tae stay far from her."
Daracha kissed the skin she had nipped and again, Edan felt the need for his wife build in his flesh. "I'm tired of this line of talk, wife."
"A wee bit more, my luv and then we can explore other things. This thing with Rhona needs tae end. Ye may well be stuck with her for ah goodly time and tha anger I sense building needs tae be broken. 'Tis like ah dam, an 'tis better taken apart now than when tha water has begun tae breach tha thing."
"Wee wifie, what would ye have me do?"
"Understand, she is only lashing out at ye, as tha real culprit is nae available. 'Tis nae ye, she's truly angry at, 'tis her da."
"Would ye have me forgive tha devil himself? God's breath! Woman, the termagant has made my life hell from tha first moment I can remember!"
"I would have ye forgive tha devi
l, if it lightened yur burden. If it removed tha weight from yur heart. So, forgive her. Pray for her, she has ah hard time ahead of her an none kens tha end of tha road."
Daracha returned to her apparent mission of placing kisses all over his throat. Closing his eyes, Edan let the tide of lust take hold of him. His brain acknowledged the truth behind her words. Perhaps, it would be best to give up the anger he felt toward Rhona. It certainly would not make dealing with her any easier. There was also the babe she carried to consider. If he shut her out, he would have no say in its life at all.
"Daracha, my luv. Ye've made yur point. I will try tae forgive her."
"Tryin will do, darlin laddie, 'cause I ken for ye, tryin is, as doin for others. 'Tis good enough for tha moment."
Chapter Twelve
Rhona heard Edan and Jean's two lads leave for the shop. Feeling a bit odd, she turned on her back in the nest of bedding and felt gore rise into her throat. Scrambling up, she dashed outside to the edge of the burn. Rhona retched until her legs felt weak.
Finished, she lowered herself to the ground. With her legs folded under her sideways, Rhona was finally unable to deny Hamish's claim that she was with child. Covering her face with her hands, she sat in the weeds at the stream's edge and began to cry.
It was where her mother found her a short time later. Evina was carrying her clothing and a length of rag. After soaking the rag in the cool water of the burn, she wiped Rhona's face and hands.
"Now then sweeting, ye need tae dress an come inside for ah bit of dry bannock. It'll make yur stomach settle. Mayhap, then ye can get some oatmeal down."
After helping Rhona into her shirt, Evina helped her fasten her skirts and handed Rhona the stays. One look at the fancy lacing Hamish had used on the stays was enough to have her crying again. Evina guided Rhona into the building. Inside, Rhona pulled away from her mother and took to her bed.
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