by Fiona Faris
“Why?” he looked directly into her eyes, grey eyes piercing into her brown ones.
“Ye didnae seem like the type to care for people beneath ye,” she shrugged and looked away.
Daividh didn’t allow himself to get offended. He knew many lairds who walked over people so her assumption was fair. “Afore my ma passed, she always reminded us to see everyone as equals. She was nae the type to look down on anyone.”
“I ken of this. I was old enough to reason when she passed. She is still missed.”
“Thank ye,” Daividh looked away as a flash of emotion passed through his eyes. He hated pity. He didn’t need it.
“I donae pity ye,” she said, as though reading his mind, “Me pa and I were a close pair. When he passed, I didnae ken what to dae with meself. A lot of people would look at me with pity and I hated it. I didnae want to be pitied. It demeaned the strength he had taught me.”
Daividh smiled. “That is apt. ’Tis nice to be understood.”
“Thank ye for coming today. The children learned from yer tale.”
“I enjoyed the stories.”
They stared at each other for a while until she blushed and looked away.
“Tell me, do ye have much planned for the day?”
“Nay. ’Tis to be a day for me to rest. I only have to take a child back to his father’s stall.”
“If ye would nae mind, would ye like a stroll. Ye can pick the place.”
Daividh felt his heart beat heavily. This was it. This was what would determine if he would win this bet.
After a pause, she nodded her head. “But first, we drop off Tommy.”
“Ye jest, surely!” Lorraine’s eyes widened. Lorraine had decided to take him round the surrounding environs of her house. It was a great choice as he was intrigued by most things he saw. However, Lorraine found that she got caught up ever so easily in the stories he had to tell.
They walked along a small path that had been beaten by frequent steps. The grasses in the surrounding areas were a tad higher and richer on their side and cattle owners appreciated the health of it. The sky had maintained a cool hue and he was thankful. It made the walk even more pleasant.
“Nay. I killed it. Me pa was vexed for I had endangered meself. The cobra is very deadly. But I suspect he was proud too.”
“But ye were only twelve, a mere child.”
“And Kyla was five. I felt it was my duty to protect her.”
Lorraine looked up at him and smiled. “Ye sound like me brother, Maxwell. He is quick to come to my defense though he plagues me more than anyone else.”
“’Tis the duty of brothers - men - to protect women. I respect a man who can care for a woman.”
“A woman doesnae always need a man. She can take charge of her own care,” Lorraine said pointedly.
“Nonsense. A woman needs a man.”
“Nay. A woman can be without a man.”
“Is that why ye wear breeches then?” he asked her against better judgment.
She looked at him, stung.
He saw the look on her face and regretted his words instantly. “Do nae misunderstand me. ’Tis nae mockery I seek to make.” He stopped walking and turned to her. “I am genuinely curious. Why do ye wear breeches?”
Lorraine looked into his eyes, searching for a sign of deceit. When she found none, she sighed. “Me pa was the best man I ever ken. He was a strong, kind, and a wise man. I was his favorite, as me ma favored Maxwell.”
“Ye speak of him a lot.” They began walking again.
“Aye, I do. He taught me everything I ken. One of the most important things he taught me is just how important it is to be able to take care of meself. He taught me to be able to take responsibility and he taught me nae to be too trustin’,” she smiled up at him.
For a reason he could not explain, Daividh felt uncomfortable and so he averted his gaze.
“When me da passed, ’twas tough on me family. We fell to hard times and there was little help. Maxwell and I were only young children and couldnae do much. Ma was a midwife and couldn’t earn enough to keep us three. I remembered what me pa had taught me and I began to improve my craft. Before his passing, I had never earned a real pound. But after, I put in more and got better. I began to treat people. To dae this, I needed several roots, animals, plants, and other gifts of nature. It was just nae practical to wear a skirt and do what needed to be done. In the end, it became a choice. It was either me independence and craft or me skirts. I turned to breeches and I have nae looked back since.” She ended with a grin on her face. “Also, they are a real comfort. Ye should wear skirts and see how ye like it,’ she teased.
“But ye could wear skirts sometimes,” he reasoned.
It was neither a scolding nor condemnation, he was genuinely curious and Lorraine realized this.
“My breeches stand for what I believe. I do nae need to be taken care of and I do nae need a man. What matters most is caring for my family and my breeches represent that.”
Daividh looked at her, feeling a sense of respect for her.
“If ye were a man, I would be glad to have ye in me guard.”
Lorraine smiled a rare smile and Daividh felt pleased.
“Thank ye, milord.”
“For what it is worth, ye are a beautiful sight even with what ye wear.”
“A smooth tongue, ye have, milord, but I still give my thanks,” Lorraine said. She had no idea how to deal with what was happening. It was much easier to put on a veil of a person not affected by words.
“We should be headin’ back,” she said to him.
“Ye have given the audience for the whole of the day. I cannot complain. I can only blame the moon for not holdin’ off a bit longer. I was enjoyin’ yer company.”
His words pleased her, greatly, but she didn’t let it show. Daividh looked up to the darkening sky and ran a hand through his hair.
“I would offer to hold yer hand but I am realizing that ye are fine and can walk on yer own.”
Pleased, she nodded. “Ye learn fast, milord.”
“I have been told.” He grinned.
Lorraine rolled her eyes. “Have ye ever been told that ye have an ego the size of all of Scotland?”
“Never.”
“The lie is evident in yer tone, milord.”
“Well, have ye ever been told that ye have eyes the color of delicious honey?” he asked catching her off guard.
“Have ye ever been told ye have a honey-coated tongue?”
“Nay,” he said to her, “I have ne’er. I am not a man of compliments. I am, however, a man of truths.”
She shrugged off his words. “I will take those words with a pinch of salt.”
“My heart aches at yer cruel words, milady.”
Lorraine’s heart beat faster and she could not say why. Dae nae be silly, she scolded herself silently, he is just a man. Ye see men every day.
“Take a bit of coriander for that,” came her reply.
“Lorraine?” he asked after they had been silent a while.
“Aye?” she cocked her head to him.
“May I take yer hand?” he asked. “Nae because ye need it,” he quickly inserted, “but because I would like to hold ye.”
Lorraine’s heart rate picked up. She wondered what it would be like to have her hands in his. She knew his palm would have a strong and firm grip. She wondered if it would be cool or warm. However, her father’s words came back to her. Do nae be too quick to extend a hand of friendship. Lorraine shot out her feelings and shrugged as though she felt he jested.
“I do nae want to burden yer own hands, come on,” she increased her pace.
With a hidden grin, he followed after her.
“Ye should be goin’,” she told him when they reached his horse, “I have to get inside.” She turned away, briskly.
“Lorraine?”
She turned back to him. “Milord?”
Daividh walked up to her and stared down at her eyes. She was beaut
iful and there was no untruth in his words. However, she seemed to wear her long hair to hide her face rather than enhance it.
Slowly, he brushed strands off her face and tilted her head up with his finger.
“Ye are so beautiful,” he said and leaned it to kiss her.
Panicked, Lorraine lifted her hands and slapped him across the cheek. Her heart beat faster and she felt her cheeks burn. She was blushing, she realized.
Lorraine pulled away from him and straightened the ruffles that did not exist on her shirt. As best as she could, she tried to maintain a walking and breathing pace that did not give her nervousness away.
With a hand to his cheek, Daividh stared at Lorraine in shock. Never had a woman refused a kiss from him. However, he was swiftly realizing that Lorraine was not like most women.
“I guess I deserved that,” he said, and dropped his hands.
“Aye,” she said, wishing her heart would stop beating so fast.
“Are ye angry with me?” he asked.
“Perhaps.”
“Pardon me. ’Tis a battle to resist ye.”
“Pardoned,” she said, as though she believed him, “I must go.”
“Will I see ye again?” he asked.
Lorraine cocked her head to a side. “Mayhap ye will.”
It was late when Daividh walked into the castle. There were few around and he walked straight to his chambers, eager for rest. The day had been a largely successful one. Glenn would eat his words and he could hardly wait. He turned to the corridor and nodded his acknowledgment at the greetings of the guards.
When he reached the door of his chamber, however, a guard stood there.
“Milord, the laird has requested your presence.”
“Is he still up?”
“Aye. He sits in his office.”
Daividh made a U-turn and walked down the corridor before taking a left to his father’s office. He knocked gently and waited for the answer.
“Enter.”
Daividh did and shut the door behind him. His father’s office was the room with the most chest of drawers in the castle. Had it been in the light of day, light would have flooded in from the three large windows he insisted on keeping open. The room had nine chests of drawers and a large table formed from the wood of the mahogany tree. The table was placed at the center of the large room and was often teeming with heavy documents.
His father was at the table with his glasses on, reading a document by the dull light of the candle.
“Ye will strain yer eyes, father. The light of the candle is nae light enough.”
“This must be done. Sit.”
Daividh took a seat as instructed.
His father adjusted his glasses and looked at him. “I have raised ye as a man and I trust yer judgment. Tell me, should we worry about the stone thrown?”
Daividh nodded. “Aye father, we should. There have been several other happenings. The rock would have smashed through my head had I nae quick reflexes.”
“Hmmm,” the old man mused.
“However,” he quickly added, not to worry the old man, “they are only little threats, which means ’tis nae a person with the backing of a clan. Perhaps a person I have grieved in another clan.”
“Ye must be right. He is a coward, too. A man must state his grievances clearly, back them up with his sword, and fight like a man. These schoolgirl tricks disgust me.”
Daividh said nothing.
“I ken, ye must organize a group of men. They will help ye. They will watch yer back and help ye figure out the person behind these things.”
“Aye, Father.”
“Start on that soon. Tomorrow.”
“I will, Father.”
“Remember to be careful.”
“Aye, Father.” He made to stand.
“I heard ye were present at the town’s square today. Ye put on quite a show, many are impressed.”
“’Twas for the children.”
“A good leader is one that can relate to every member of his clan. Ye did well.”
Daividh smiled. He never took his father’s praise for granted. “Thank ye, Father.”
“Ye were also seen with a woman. Who is she?”
Daividh froze. He looked at his father and played it cool. “A friend, Father.”
“I see. Ye may leave.”
He walked out of the office and into his bedroom for peace and privacy that he craved. However, that was not to be.
“Kyla? What in the seven seas are ye doing here?”
The candles in his room were already lit, too bright by far in his opinion.
“I had to ken what happened. I heard from the maids that ye were seen with Lorraine.”
She looked up at him, giddy. She wore a long night dress and had her hair down looking very much like the young girl he remembered who was scared of thunder. It was hard to be angry with her.
“Ye need to stop listenin’ to gossip,” he chided.
“I didnae listen,” she reasoned, “I overheard and decided to ask ye for the real thin’.”
“Fair enough.” He sat in his bed and sighed.
“It went poorly?”
“Nay,” he corrected quickly. “I am only tired. After the puppet show, I took her to a river bank. She rides a horse like a man,” he said with a smile on his face. “Of course, nae as good as me but racing her would nae be a bore.”
“She must be really good. Yer the best rider I ken.”
In moments like that, it was very easy to see just how much she adored her brother.
“I’ll get better still, love,” he smiled at her, “She spoke a lot about nature, healing, plants, animals, and I just listened. She is a very intelligent woman. Then, she bade me to tell her of my life as a young boy.”
“Did ye tell her how naughty ye were?” she teased.
“Nay, I was going for the good stuff,” he winked. “By the time we left, it was evening. We walked the grounds surrounding her home and then we said goodnight. Satisfied?”
“Aye,” she said grinning.
“Now put off all these candles and begone. I need my sleep.”
“Good night, Brother.”
“Good night, Kyla.”
Chapter Six
He tried to kiss me. Daividh had tried to kiss me. Lorraine found it hard to understand what was going on. Ever since they had met the first time, she had convinced herself that his intentions were no more than pure.
“I donnae ken much about men and women but friends donnae try to kiss each other, do they?” she asked Daisy as she brushed her fur the next morning.
It made little sense to her. What did he want with her? Men like him didn’t go after women like her. She set Daisy’s brush aside and reached for the bucket of water nearby. Her reflection stared back at her. She was plain. She had always been plain.
But how dae ye ken this? a tiny voice in her head asked. Ye have never been spoken to about yer looks.
“Except by Daividh. He called me beautiful. Twice.” She grinned at her reflection but sighed after a moment. It was all too confusing.
Did it matter? He was probably someone who called a lot of women beautiful. A man that looked like him would not shy off paying compliments.
He was wasting his time, however, if he thought she wanted his compliments and sweet talk. A man that had naught to hide was plain about his intentions. Hadn’t she told him plainly that she had no need of a man?
She had not needed a man for years, not since her father had died. She had learned to provide for herself and that was all that mattered.
But it would not soothe yer heart on a cold night. Maxwell’s words came back to her.
Lorraine shook the words off. What did he know? What mattered was what she knew. And what she wanted to know was what he wanted.
“What is yer deal, Daividh MacDougall?” she asked the reflection in the water.
“Talking to yerself again?” Maxwell asked, entering the barn.
“Nay, nay. Just
thinking is all.”
“I need a favor from ye,” he said in a serious tone.
Eager to help, she stood up and faced her brother.