Highland Bloodline

by Florence Love Karsner

  "Umm. Millie makes the best scones in Scotland. Ye agree?"

  "They're a lot better than Mother's. She wasn't much of a cook, but Mattie, our housekeeper, she was. She kept us fed pretty well I guess."

  Daniel nodded. "Alright then, lad. Let's see what's going on with yer dirk throwing. Here, take mine and see how it feels in your hands. This dirk's a tad smaller than Alex's and lighter in weight, which is the way I prefer it."

  Grandda reached out and handed the dirk to Robbie, who took it in his hands and shifted it back and forth from one to the other.

  "Yes, it is lighter than Alex's, and shorter too, I think."

  "Aye, lad, it is. But if ye throw it properly, it'll do a lot of damage if ye need it to."

  Robbie nodded, still hesitant to try his hand at this feat again. "I'm not sure this is something I'll ever be good at Grandda."

  "I hear ye, but I'll be the judge of that. Now then, lad, let me watch ye a couple of times. See if I can spot anything that needs a little work."

  Robbie ran his hand along the blade, then took the dirk by the handle. He walked off the paces from the back of the stable as Alex had taught him to do. He stood for a long moment, then finally flung the dirk with all his might. The knife traveled fairly straight, but barely touched the wall before dropping to the ground. Robbie turned away, unwilling to see the disappointment in Grandda's face at his feeble attempt.

  "I told you. This is not something I can do! Why can't you and Alex just accept that?"

  Grandda retrieved the dirk and brought it back to Robbie. "Most things that are worth doing take time and practice, ye ken? Now, try once more. Here. Take the dirk."

  Da watched Robbie slowly count off the paces once more. He pulled his arm back and stepped forward once again, throwing the dirk even more awkwardly this time, losing his balance as he did so. With this attempt, the dirk didn't even reach the stable wall. It just dropped from the air midway and fell to the ground, seemingly as defeated as Robbie.

  "Now can we just go back inside? I want to write more on my story." This was about as much humiliation as Robbie could take this early in the morning.

  "Just a moment, lad. I'm asking ye to try just once more. If ye don't make any headway then we'll both go inside and find our breakfast. Here, take the dirk."

  Releasing a long sigh, Robbie reached out with his right hand to take the dirk from his grandda.

  Daniel pulled the dirk back away from Robbie's outstretched hand. "Wait a second, Robbie, take the dirk in yer left hand."

  "But I'm right handed, Grandda."

  "Just do as I ask ye. Now, when ye throw the dirk this time, step out on yer right foot, not the left as ye've been doing."

  "What? Throw with my left hand and step out on my right foot?"

  "Aye. That's right. And when ye release the dirk, keep yer arm extended. Don't let it drop until the dirk hits the wall and stays put."

  "It hasn't hit and stayed put yet, Grandda."

  "Aye. I can see that."

  Robbie stepped off the paces again then took another deep breath. He stood tall, held the dirk in his left hand, pulled his arm back, stepped out on his right foot and let the dirk fly, keeping his arm extended.

  TWACK! The dirk hit the wall with such force it was still vibrating seconds later.

  "But ... but ... I'm right handed, Grandda! I always have been."

  "Well, I'm not sure yer left hand will agree with ye lad." He grinned in spite of himself. The next two throws were just as successful as the first one, and Robbie had to work hard to keep himself from grinning too. He had no idea how he had done that, but certainly liked how it felt.

  "Looks like ye might conquer this skill after all, eh?" Daniel put his arm around the lad's shoulders and felt the tension in his grandson's body release as they made their way back to the lodge.

  ~ ~ ~

  All the men were gathered in the stable looking over the pony Da had bought the week before. He was a sturdy little fellow with brown and white spots on his rump. Da liked him the moment he spied him. The animal was good-natured and didn't flinch when he and Andrew gave him a once over from nose to tail. He was to be Dugald's, and Da was looking forward to teaching the lad to ride.

  "Ye think Dugald's old enough, Da? He's only about eight or so," Jack said.

  "Aye, but ye lads were even younger when I first put ye on a horse's back. Dugald's on the small side, but he'll learn quickly, mostly because he's wanting to, ye ken?"

  Alex ran his hand along the pony's back and was rewarded with a nose nudge. Finally he voiced the thoughts that had been running through his mind for a while now.

  "Da, what do ye think about me and Jack going down to the border for a couple of days, just to listen about for a while? McGuire stopped by yesterday. Said he heard rumors the Brits had rounded up several Jacobite supporters—clan leaders actually—down near the Black Isle. Word is they were sent to the Caribbean Islands where they'll be sold as slaves. I kinda find that hard to believe, but it might be good to put an ear to the ground and listen a bit."

  Uncle Andrew nodded and put in his own two cents.

  "Aye, that's the word in Edinburgh, too. I talked to a couple of mates at Barclay's Pub. They all tell the same story. I'm headed back there tomorrow to pick up a few of Camille's possessions that she values highly, mostly some important papers and a few keepsakes.

  Not sure Edinburgh's a safe place to be. Can't tell the Jacobite supporters from those who opposed us, some of them our own countrymen. But Camille's decided to stay up here permanently, so I'll take a coach down and get those items for her. Doesn't seem like too much to ask, I'd say, so while I'm there I'll give a listen and see if there's any new information." He walked off toward his cottage.

  "Da, we still don't know much about Camille. Has Andrew told you anything?" Jack asked.

  "Only that she has a small home in Edinburgh she wants to keep. At the moment she's let it out to an elderly gentleman who's recently widowed and he takes care of it. Andrew has always kept a lot to himself, and that's his business. Camille brings happiness to him and Andrew says she's excited about teaching the bairns. And Dugald, Bridgette and Charlie have taken quite a liking to her."

  Alex paced back and forth as he talked. "Three women, three orphans, and the youngest bairns, Midge and now my own, Flinn. If it were just us menfolk as it was not too long ago, I'd not be so concerned. But we've got a large family now and we need to have a plan for keeping all of them safe."

  The pacing was an indication to Da that Alex was well into a plan already, but not quite ready to discuss it. His oldest son would always consider every angle before voicing his thoughts about any situation.

  "Aye, lad. Ye've got a point. Maybe ye and Jack should go down. See what ye can learn. Meanwhile, I'll be here with the ladies and bairns. And the new hand, Boder, he'll be here, too. Andrew will be back in a few days and then we'll put our heads together. Aye."

  "Da, Boder's not here anymore. He left yesterday."

  "Oh? What brought that on? I thought ye said he was a good hand."

  "Aye, that I did. But he had a way of asking too many questions and I was tired of his suggestions for how I should run the farm more ... efficiently, I believe was the word he used. He thought I should sack Kenny and Hamish, didn't think they carried their weight. Those lads are part of our family and in my opinion they do just fine."

  Da nodded. "I only saw him a couple of times. He kept himself out with the sheep mostly. Then good riddance. Glad ye sent him on his way."

  "Millie never liked him much, but she never said why," Jack reported.

  "Caitlin says he smells funny. You know how keen her nose is. Probably that cheroot he's always chewing on."

  "Huh. Women. They have some funny ideas. I'll never understand them," Jack said, shaking his head in bewilderment.

  "Well then, that's that. But Robbie's here now, too. And I've noted he handles the younger bairns pretty well. Caitlin and Millie are quite self-sufficient, a
nd Mrs. Sutherland will lend a hand if we need one. But let's wait another day or so. Hector should be here later today, or tomorrow at the latest. He needs to be in on our plans as well."

  "Yeah, but if he's not here tomorrow I say we go ahead. We may not have time to wait for him," Jack replied. Waiting was never a good idea in his opinion.

  Da agreed. "He's to bring Dorothea with him this trip. Millie asked her to come help with Midge. She was Millie's nursemaid when she was a bairn, ye ken? At the moment she's taking care of the young ones at the Sanctuary, and Hector says she's very good at her job. With Old Jamie gone now and Andrew out of the lodge, we have plenty of room for her and her young lad."

  CHAPTER 5

  M

  illie carefully retrieved the small porcelain vase little Midge had taken from the table in the great room and placed it on the top shelf of the pantry.

  "No, that's not for bairns to touch, Midge. Here, play with your doll." The vase was one Mam had brought when she and Da came to the Highlands. No sooner had Millie removed the vase than Midge was climbing on a chair reaching for a biscuit on a tray on the table.

  "No, Midge. No biscuits until after supper."

  The bairn started to cry and, as usual, someone came running to her aide. It was suppertime and Jack had already come in and was cleaned up, ready for a good meal and a quiet evening. He reached down and picked her up.

  "Here ye go, lass. Let's go see where the other bairns are off to." He still carried Midge everywhere even though the child was walking these days and Millie was forever moving items up high out of her reach.

  He met Caitlin coming down the hall and one look at her, what with her curly hair coming down in ringlets about her face when it was usually pinned up neatly, told him all was not well. She was carrying a very unhappy Flinn who was crying nonstop.

  "What's wrong? She never cries." Even Jack knew this was unusual for the newest bairn.

  "I'm not sure. But she's running a fever and she refuses to nurse." Before she had even finished her sentence, the back door opened and in came Robbie herding the orphans along. Bridgette was crying loudly, making for a situation he had no idea how to handle.

  "Caitlin, my throat hurts. Can you make it better?" Bridgette pulled on Caitlin's apron to get her attention, then promptly vomited in the middle of the kitchen floor.

  "Jack, go get Alex. I need some help here. I think he's still upstairs getting a bath."

  Jack headed up the stairs and met Da coming down.

  "Here, I'll take the bairn." Da stepped closer and gently took the bairn from Caitlin. He was thrilled with his first grandchild, Flinn. She looked so like Caitlin and his Alice—that hair and those aqua eyes that appeared to take in everything about her.

  Standing at the top of the stairs, all Alex could see and hear was a crying Midge, a crying Flinn, and a crying Bridgette.

  "What's going on? Jack, how did ye manage to upset three lasses at once?"

  Jack smiled. "I don't think ye can blame me for this racket. But Caitlin's face tells me she's concerned, which has me worried. I'm hoping we don't see lightning on the horizon, ye ken?"

  Alex and Da laughed. "She's not brought the lightning in some time now, brother. She usually manages to handle things in other ways. But why are they all crying?"

  Walking back into the room after cleaning up Bridgette's mess, Caitlin looked at her Highlander.

  "Good question. I'm not ready to say for sure, but I've a good idea of what may be going on. All three have a red throat—that much I can see; none of them will eat; Bridgette's just vomited; and all three are irritable as a hornet. I'd say it's something contagious, but not sure just what yet."

  "OK. Yer not sure exactly what, but what does yer gut tell ye?" Jack never did like beating around the bush.

  "Come over here Bridgette. Let's take a peek at you. Lie here on the sofa and let me get a closer look."

  "I'm cold, Caitlin. Can I have a blanket?"

  "How can ye be cold, lass? It's warm as an oven in here." Jack shook his head. He kept walking the floor with Midge, but she still cried. Da, likewise, was unable to quiet Flinn.

  "I don't know much about bairns, Caitlin, but I can tell something is wrong here," Alex chimed in.

  "Alex, ask Millie to find a blanket for Bridgette. Let me check her out a little further. I don't like the looks of this."

  "For God's sake, Caitlin, will ye tell us what ye think?" Jack's temper always jumped forward when he was the slightest bit worried or angry and by this time, Caitlin knew that about him. Alex and Da stopped in their tracks, both anxious to hear her reply.

  "I hope I'm wrong, but take a look here on Bridgette's neck and face. See those raised bumps? I found those on Flinn's back this morning, and Midge has some too. All these symptoms—lack of appetite, vomiting, being cold when it's not cold weather, sore throat, and now this rash with raised bumps—I've seen them before."

  "Aye. And what does all that mean?" Jack asked.

  Caitlin looked at each of the men, as if trying to decide whether she should voice her findings. Finally, she answered Jack's question. "These are all symptoms of Scarlet Fever."

  The silence that followed Caitlin's pronouncement was deafening. All three men looked at her as if she had spoken in a foreign language. Scarlet Fever meant one thing—death. This disease was perhaps the most dreaded of all simply because there didn't seem to be a treatment to stop it from spreading from one family member to another. They all knew of families who had lost one or more loved ones to the disease.

  "Lass, are ye sure?"

  "No, Alex, I'm not sure. But it certainly looks like it."

  "Do ye know how to treat it?" Jack felt the anxiety building inside and knew the others felt it also.

  "No, I don't have a potion that will cure this disease. I can help with the fever and may have something to slow down the vomiting, but this disease will have its own timetable."

  "Are ye saying there's nothing to be done, then?" Da asked. He'd not forgotten some years back when one of the local families had lost two children to the disease. Mam had taken food over and left it at the door as even Highlanders knew how quickly the disease could travel from one family to another.

  Alex began pacing. "Nae, ye can't be saying there's nothing ye can do. Surely something can be done. Doing nothing is not my idea of dealing with any situation." Alex simply wouldn't take that as an answer.

  Caitlin looked at him, actually feeling the anxiety building within him. She had never known a more determined person, except maybe herself.

  "There is one thing we can do. We can keep these three away from the others, put them in one room and I can try to reduce the fever and vomiting. I've been exposed to Scarlet Fever, actually had a light case as a child according to Uncle Wabi, so I should be fine. But all of you need to stay away and keep the other bairns away as well."

  Alex nodded his agreement and Jack likewise.

  "Jack, tell Millie to have Kenny and Hamish go to all the families and let them know the school is closed for the time being. Tell the parents to keep their children at home until this passes. Hopefully it'll stay confined in these walls and I'll tend to these three. "Let's take them up in Old Jamie's room. We'll put Midge and Bridgette in the big bed and bring the crib in for Flinn. Go now, we need to act quickly."

  Caitlin's ability to act in a dire situation and treat sick patients was definitely one of her greatest assets. But this particular situation was a bit different as one of these patients was a very young bairn, and it was hers.

  ~ ~ ~

  The lodge was rather quiet at supper. Caitlin stayed upstairs with her three young patients, and Dugald and Charlie were sleeping over at Camille and Andrew's cottage. Camille thought it would be better to keep those two over there away from the three ill ones. Caitlin agreed and she knew they were in good hands with the couple. Mothering seemed to come naturally to Camille even though she didn't have any children herself.

  Millie rose from the table, then c
leared her throat. "I'm going to go up and help Caitlin. Midge is my child and she needs me."

  Jack stood and came over to put an arm around her waist. He so liked that Millie was tall and thought she was six feet of beauty both inside and out.

  "Millie, Millie, ye gotta listen to what Caitlin says. She said none of us are to go into the room. She's trying to keep the fever from spreading. She'll take care of Midge. Ye know that."

  "Yes, I do know that. But I can't stand feeling so helpless. Midge is crying, I can hear her!" The tears she'd been holding back came streaming down her cheeks now, which was not a good thing, as Jack could handle just about anything except crying women.

  "Come now, lass. Let's pass out some of your clootie dumplings I see in the kitchen. Our Midge is being cared for by the best healer I've ever known. She'll be alright."

  Da began to clear the table and dish out the dumplings. Alex poured everyone a cup of cider and offered his own thoughts.

  "He's right ye know, Millie. Caitlin's a verra fine healer. She saved Ian when we thought he was gone for sure. She'll do the same for our children. We just need to let her be in charge and we should do what she tells us."

  Suddenly it dawned on Millie she wasn't the only person who had a sick child.

  "Oh, Alex. I'm sorry. Your bairn is in there too. I'm not myself just now. Please forgive my outburst. I know Caitlin is skilled and I will certainly follow her plans." She took a deep breath and the "lady" was back in control once again.

  Alex smiled at her. "No apology needed, Millie. We're all troubled these days, and now, with this Scarlet Fever, it's just one more worry on our heads."

  Millie dished out more dessert. "Here, let's take ourselves back to the kitchen table. That seems to be where we do the best thinking."

  Sitting back down at the table, Da chimed in. "Aye, lass, Alex is right. We've got some worries to deal with. But we always do, and we will this time, too. Now, let's the four of us sit here a minute and see what we can figure out amongst ourselves. Caitlin's in charge of the sick ones, Camille and Andrew are taking care of the other two, and we have to give some thought to that nasty British problem."