by Alisa Adams
Rane looked over and saw Gillis watching him where she leaned on the fence. He smiled at her, seeing her appreciation in the young horse he was working.
Gillis sighed at his dazzling smile and form on the horse. She was able to see a good bit of his muscular thighs underneath his kilt. She blushed as she smiled back at him, glad that he was not close enough to see her turning pink like a foolish young girl. She quickly hurried back to the stable and the horses.
At the end of the week, Gaufid came to the stable near evening. He stood just inside the door, waiting until Gillis was finished.
Aria, Ingelram, and Pilop had left earlier. The two men had finished changing out the old or bloody straw in the stalls for fresh, grumbling and whining the entire time with Ingelram punching and pushing the smaller Pilop while telling him he was not working hard enough. Gillis was glad when they finally left.
Aria said she had to finish some adjustments to saddles for a few of the horses, so only Gillis and Gaufid were in the stable.
Gillis nodded to Gaufid and then went up and down the aisle, checking on her patients for the umpteenth time.
Gaufid cleared his throat.
“The horses are the same as they were only moments ago when ye checked them, lass,” he said as he stood there with his arms across his massive chest.
Gillis waved a hand at him as she checked the stitches on one of the horses. “Aye, I just want tae be sure…” she said distractedly as she peered at the wound on a chestnut horse’s hindquarters. Is it hot? Did I clean it thoroughly? She made several notes in her little book, completely forgetting about Gaufid, who had been standing there waiting.
“Laird Rane expects ye tae sit for the evening meal,” Gaufid said in his booming voice.
Gillis looked up and around with a startled expression. “What was that?” she peered at Gaufid. “Och, hello Mr. Gaufid. Ye are still here?” She hurried to the next stall, flipping pages rapidly in her book, looking for the entry on this horse. “How is yer thumb? I will need more light in here. May I have some lanterns brought in?”
“After ye eat, lass,” Gaufid said as he came down the aisle. “Ye have not stopped most of the week or at all today. Laird Rane says I am tae bring ye to the main hall so that ye may actually eat a meal.”
Gillis stared at him, blinking.
“Ye havenae really eaten a full meal since ye arrived, have ye?” Gaufid asked as he looked sternly at her.
Gillis looked blankly around the stable. It seemed like she had been in here forever. Her head spun for a moment. She had lost track of time.
“Yer auntie has been busy all week, touring Kinloch. She is in the main hall, waiting for the meal tae be served. And ordering everyone around, I might add,” Gaufid said with a scowl. “I havenae decided if I like her. She has a curiously small creature living under her shawl. Either that or a third body part.” He shivered in distaste. “I am not sure.”
Gillis took a breath. “Aunt Hexy! Goodness! I had forgotten her!”
She hurried out of the chestnut horse’s stall as she wrestled with the ties to her apron. She pulled it off and was about to lay it on a wooden trunk at the end of the aisle. “I cannae believe I had forgotten about Aunt Hexy! Shame on me!”
“Yer aunt can take care of herself,” Gaufid said wryly.
Gillis looked up at him. “She can?” Gillis paused and looked back down the aisle at the horses. “Och, of course she can, that is vera well then. Perhaps I can dae more work here.” At that, she picked her apron back up and was about to put it back on when Gaufid’s huge hand closed over hers.
“Put the apron down,” he said firmly. “I have orders that ye must eat. Ye are white as that apron, at least as white as that apron under all that horse hair and blood that is on it.”
“But Mr. Gaufid—” she started to say.
Gaufid did not wait for whatever she was about to say. He hauled her up into his arms and started heading across the courtyard towards the stone steps leading to the great hall.
“Mr. Gaufid,” Gillis demanded in a clipped voice, “ye must put me down. This is not seemly!”
Gaufid kept right on walking. “I would put ye doon, but I fear ye would just turn around and go back tae the stable.”
“Yes, because I wasnae finished there! This is quite rude and brutish of ye, Mr. Gaufid!”
“The laird ordered ye to the meal and told me tae bring ye, so I am doing just that,” he said stubbornly.
Gillis gasped. “He ordered me? How dare he!”
Gaufid’s laughter boomed out in the courtyard. “Och, he dares!” He laughed with his head thrown back as he strode over the stone courtyard. “Ye are his!”
“I am his healer, of course, but—”
“Nay. Not the same. Besides, women cannae be healers! All the men of Kinloch say this.” Gaufid took the steps two at a time. “Here we are!” He stuck a foot out and kicked the doors open and went inside. Still holding Gillis in his arms.
Gillis had gone quiet. So all the men of Kinloch believe I shouldnae be a healer? She was just about to give Mr. Gaufid her opinion on that subject when she heard a roar.
“Is she injured?” shouted Laird Rane MacLeod from the far end of the hall as he came, taking great strides down the length of the hall.
“Nay,” Gaufid called back, “just obstinate.”
Rane’s eyes narrowed as he came their way. Gillis knew that look by now.
“Then put her down!” Rane growled.
Gaufid instantly set Gillis on her feet.
Gillis straightened and smoothed her skirts as she looked up at Gaufid. His face was bright red as he watched his laird coming towards them. Gillis turned to see the big laird as well.
Rane strode over and took the few steps up to the door in one stride. He stopped and stood there, standing like stone at the great hall’s massive doors where Gaufid and Gillis were standing.
“Dinnae touch her ever again, Gaufid,” Rane said in a low voice. The tick in his cheek began working as the two men stared at each other angrily.
Gillis looked back and forth between the huge men she was standing between. She placed a hand on each of their chests and tried to push. It was like trying to move two mountains apart. “Ye are smothering me,” she said quietly to them both.
Gillis looked up at Rane. “Gaufid carried me because I was tae tired tae walk. He was helping me, Laird, after ye ordered me tae come here.”
Gaufid nodded and took a step back after one last glare at Rane.
Rane stood still as rock. He looked down into Gillis’s eyes.
“Dinnae dae that!” Gillis whispered angrily. He was giving her that brooding look again. That look of fire, hidden in ashes, smoldering down deep, just waiting to burst into flame.
Gillis did not know if she could resist touching that flame once again—or if she even wanted to try. She wanted his fire, she had to admit this truth to herself, but a girl as plain as she was, was not for the likes of a man such as Rane MacLeod.
“What?” Rane growled with surprise as his brows furrowed in stubborn anger.
“Dinnae ye dare just stare at me like...that. Speak, communicate! Ye dinnae order someone tae come tae eat with ye. Ye order yer warriors, perhaps,” Gillis said in frustration.
Rane opened his mouth, then closed it as he looked down at her with a glare. Then he tried again. He lowered his voice as the top of his cheekbones pinkened. “I asked ye tae join me for the evening meal,” he said awkwardly.
“Nay, ye ordered me, you didnae ask me,” she said crisply as she smoothed her skirts and looked around the great hall. She walked forward towards the few steps down to the hall and paused as she looked all around the huge, candlelit room.
“’Tis the same,” Rane growled incredulously as he quickly followed her.
“It is not the same, at all,” she said as she looked at him over her shoulder.
Rane stopped for a moment, confusion clear on his startled face, before stepping forward to follow her.
Gaufid let out a deep, booming laugh at that.
Rane scowled at Gaufid and wrapped his big hand gently around Gillis’s elbow. He guided her away from Gaufid with a parting glare at the bald-headed man, down the low steps from the main door and onto the stone floor of the hall.
Gillis walked beside Rane towards a great, long, oak table set up in the hall. It was next to a massive, cavernous fireplace with several cast iron pots with thin legs called spiders that were nestled in the front ashes of the fire. There was also a spit turning slowly with meat dripping juice over the flames. A portly man was busy at the spit, cutting slabs of the meat and talking jovially to those at the table near him as he kept refilling platters for the young grooms to serve.
Gillis smelled the aroma of roasting meat, frying fish, and something hearty and green in the cast iron stew pots. She thought she smelled the spicy, sweet scent of baked apples as well.
Rane led her towards the far end of the table. As she walked down the length of the hall, she noted the benches at the table were crowded with men eating their meal. Each stopped and looked at her as she walked past.
Gillis heard their whispers. They did not like that she was going to sit at their table, or that she was being led to the head of the table to sit next to their laird. Their grumblings got louder the farther up the table she walked.
Gillis spotted Aunt Hexy happily talking to an older gentleman that looked to be her age as the two ate. She also was sneaking bits of food to her dog under her shawl. She did not even look up at Gillis as she and Rane walked past, so engrossed in conversation was she.
The smells of the food on the table reached Gillis’s nose, and she inhaled deeply, realizing how hungry she was. Her stomach growled loudly as she looked over all the offerings on the table.
She watched as several young grooms, holding a pitcher in each hand, scurried around the table refilling tankards of ale or cider from their pitchers.
The men decided to ignore her and the hall became loud with boisterous laughter and conversations, and the smells of wonderful food.
Gillis looked around at the highly polished, glowing, wood-paneled walls and saw grand sized old tapestries, some depicting scenes of ships at sea. Many were of horses in battle, and two tapestries were of a faraway place with trees and buildings she did not recognize. The colors were incredibly vibrant and beautiful in the candlelight of the massive hall.
She felt Rane push her down onto a bench as she continued to look around. The huge hall was brightly lit with several hanging massive iron chandeliers filled with candles that were hung down the center of the hall.
The ceiling itself was painted in a stunning relief of horses in all stages—from gambling foals in lush green fields to destriers fighting victoriously with their rider in battle.
Gillis continued to look all around, trying not to let her mouth hang open. The hall was stunning in its beauty and opulence. There were old suits of armor standing on bases set at regular intervals along the length of one wall. They looked like they were made of pure silver as they gleamed in the candlelight. A tribute and testimony to the days of old.
Weapons of all kinds and ages hung on the walls in various circular formations that made them decorative.
Shields with many colorful heraldic devices and escutcheons were displayed at the top of the wood paneling going around the entirety of the hall.
Gillis marveled at the ornate, decorated wall sconces that looked to be made of pure gold that also hung in intervals all around the hall. The candles blazing brightly in them had large mirrored backplates that cast the candles’ illumination one hundredfold into the great hall.
There were copper stall nameplates hung on the wood paneling as well; they were scattered all around the hall with the names of horses on them. Again, she assumed they were a tribute to great warhorses of the past. Some of the copper plates even had pictures of horses’ heads hammered on them or a picture of the horses’ full bodies charging into battle complete with battle plates being worn on their heads, chests, and haunches.
Gillis looked from the walls to the table. The amount of food spread before her, and the variation of it was stunning. She had not been raised hungry. She had never wanted for food; unlike many Highlanders, she had always had plenty, but this? This was more than she had ever seen!
She looked down at the plateware in front of her. It was silver! And her footed glass was crystal, etched with prancing horses going around it. Gillis picked up the lovely glass and held it up to the candlelight, marveling at the artistry that had captured the movement of the horse, making it look like it was cantering around her glass. She was captivated and stunned.
A groom hurried over and poured cider into her upheld glass, thinking she was holding it up to be filled. Gillis was startled but managed not to splash it as she thanked the smiling boy.
She heard Rane’s rumbling voice at the head of the table as he talked to one of his men. Gillis looked over at him and then looked a second time. She had not noticed that he had changed his clothing. He still wore a black kilt, but now he had on a black velvet jacket with a clean, bright white shirt underneath. His dark hair gleamed in the candlelight, where it was combed away from his face, though the comb could not tame the waves of dark hair that fell to his broad shoulders. A tartan of muted gold and black was over one shoulder, secured with a large round pin of gold with fine scrolling on it. Gillis leaned closer to peer at it. The scrolling was made up of a multitude of tiny horses trotting, cantering, and galloping all around the circle of the brooch.
Gillis looked at the men across the oak table from her. They all had the same pin on their tartans, covered in the tiny, gamboling horses. These warriors were also dressed finely.
Rane’s pin was the largest, but that was all that set him apart from his men.
Gillis was amazed as she looked around the table.
She raised an eyebrow at Gaufid, who she caught scowling at her. Even he wore a fine shirt and jacket. She watched as he glanced at Gillis’s side with great interest and then looked awkwardly away. Gillis looked to see who had just sat down beside her, for it was very obvious that that was what had caught Gaufid’s interest so.
“Ari!” Gillis said with pleasure when she saw that it was Aria that had just joined them at the table.
Aria still wore her baggy cap that hid quite a bit of her face and all of her hair. She had a clean shirt on and a large, boxy leather vest covering it. She had changed into another pair of leather trews.
“I am starving,” Aria said as she began to eye the platters being passed around. She managed to deftly intercept one of the platters of meat before it passed by her. She put some of the meat on her plate and handed it to Gillis, nudging her to get her attention. “Fill yer plate quickly or these men will eat it all,” she laughed.
Aria eyed another platter coming their way and grabbed that too before one of the men reached over her to get it first. This one was filled with root vegetables and kale. The next one was baked fish in a crusty pie, then there was fried fish. There were also woven baskets of fresh breads and platters of milk meats.
Gillis’s stomach was growling loudly as she helped herself to all the delicious food being passed around the table. She took her first mouthful and closed her eyes and sighed with the pleasure of it.
Aria saw her face and laughed.
Gillis looked at Aria. “This keep must do vera well for itself,” she said with her mouth full and her eyes filled with wonder as she glanced around the opulent hall once again.
“Aye, vera well. We are known for our horses,” Aria said proudly. “Our horses are sold all over England and Scotland and beyond.” She pointed to the shields with the heralds on the walls. “Do ye see all those family shields? They are from barons, dukes, princes, and kings. Some from places I have never heard of that have purchased horses bred and trained at Kinloch Castle.”
“But still, all this from the sale of the horses?” Gillis said curiously.
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Aria leaned towards her. “Weel, there is the shipwreck…”
Gillis leaned closer to Aria. “A shipwreck?” She asked with avid curiosity.
“The wreck of the San Gabriel,” Aria said in a hushed voice. “’Twas a Spanish ship heavily loaded with costly goods and horses that wrecked off the coast of Kinlochervie more than a hundred years ago.” Aria leaned in closer and whispered, “Many at Kinloch Castle are descendants of those who swam tae shore or were found, washed up on the beaches, still alive.”
Gillis watched as Aria’s eyes went to Rane. Gillis turned and looked at him. She saw him through fresh eyes; the dark hair, the deep, dark eyes. She turned back to hear what Aria was saying.
“They say all the horses made it off the ship and our Kinloch horses are bred from those original brave horses.” Aria smiled proudly and then whispered again, “When the tide is right ye can see the mast. Treasure hunters from all over come seeking its riches,” she said with a grin. “But there are those that say the treasure has already been taken and is hidden somewhere in the parish of Kinlochervie…guarded by the vera ghosts of those that died in the wreck.”
Gillis listened silently, captivated by the tale. She sat back and looked around the table. There were quite a lot of dark-haired, dark-eyed men. How many are descendants of that wreck? she wondered.
She turned back to her new friend. “Aria?” she said in a low voice. “I heard Gaufid and Rane call each other brother, but they look sae different.”
Aria nodded. “Aye, they are brothers. Rane's mother passed away when he was vera young, and his father remarried. Gaufid is the result of that short marriage, for his mother died as well, and then their father died, leaving Rane tae manage the keep and the horses when he was still a young man. He has done far better than his father in all these years as the keep has prospered, and the horses that Kinloch Castle is known for have only increased in prominence.”
Gillis glanced at Gaufid. “The green ink on Gaufid’s arm and his head. He was sent on a prison ship?”