A Highland Pearl (Highland Treasures Book 1) (8 page)

Tavish pushed Andrew forward once more while Seumas and Maidie
wound a new bandage around his middle, then Tavish pushed Andrew’s chest back
against the pillows.

“Tavish,” Andrew said to the warrior. “You aren’t the most
gentle of helpers.”

A look of angst crossed the lad’s face. “Sorry I hurt you, M’Laird.”
Tavish bowed his head and then backed away from the bed.

“Dinna fash yourself, lad. Thank you for helping the lady.”
Andrew shifted and then winced with pain. “Do you ken your duties in watching
Madam Munro? Did the tanist tell you what they are?”

“Yes, M’Laird. He did. I’m to stay with her and stand guard at
her door while she is in Fàrdach Castle.” A smile crossed the young warrior’s
face.

Maidie cut the bandage from the roll. “I dinna need such
watching, and I’ll be returning to my home today.” She looked at Andrew with
deep blue eyes, now darkened with ire. “I’m needed in the village to care for
the wounded. I should replenish the supplies of my lost bag.”

For some unknown reason, Andrew disliked the idea of the lass
leaving the castle. He enjoyed her soothing touch and desired more of the feel
of her hands on his body. Has the injury to his belly affected his head? He
couldn’t let himself get attached to this woman. She only cared for his wound.
Mayhap letting Angus tend him would solve a lot of the difficulty now plaguing
the castle and get his thinking back on the right track.

“Fine, then. Return to your home today, but Tavish goes with you.
I’ll send food and supplies for three. Tavish will be your boarder for awhile.”
Andrew spoke more gruffly than he wished to the healer, but she tested his
patience, always going against his authority.

“Yes, M’Laird. Thank you. I’ll make Sven and me ready to leave
this day.” Maidie turned to pick up the salve from the table.

“Leave the salve. Colin will see it doesn’t come up missing,
and I wish for Angus to use it on the wound.” Saints above, Andrew hated to
have Angus treat him again.

“You wanna require my service, M’Laird? I can come often and
check on your healing.”

“No need. The castle physician will tend me,” he answered in a
voice deep with emotion. He coughed, sending white-hot irons shooting through
his belly, but he didn’t want the woman to see him full of angst over her
leaving.

Maidie rushed back to the bedside. “Are you good, M’Laird?”

“Aye. Leave and ready yourself and your son to return home,”
he said with a wave of his hand, and then addressed Colin, “bring me some soup
from the kitchen. I feel hungry.” His stomach growled for the first time since
he had been injured. A good sign.

Colin left the chamber behind Maidie, Seumas, and Tavish.
Andrew stared out of the window beside his bed. A bird sang from the parapet
not far away. He needed to be out among his men, riding Scara through his
lands, surveying the runrigs, visiting with the tenants, and tending the
business of the barony. He hated being cooped up inside, depending on others
for his care and sustenance, looking at naught but stone walls and bed
curtains. Determination flooded his being. Wound or no, he would be out of this
bed on the morrow.

Chapter Seven

The tanist and his sister visited with
Maidie the night after she left the castle. Gavin and Davina stayed for a
while, told her of Andrew’s progress, and looked around her small cabin without
drinking the ale she offered. Gavin asked about Tavish’s sleeping arrangements.
Maidie explained she felt more comfortable with Tavish sleeping in the byre.

“How can the mon keep watch over you and the lad if he’s in
the byre?” Gavin asked with a cutting edge to his voice.

“He’s close enough, Sir Gavin, to hear my call if I need him,”
Maidie explained.

Gavin shook his head. Davina smiled. “I agree with Maidie.
Tavish should not sleep in the same room with an unmarried lass. She’s safe
enough, Brother. Let the arrangement be.”

Gavin gave his sister a hard look, then caught her by the arm
and pulled her from the chair. “Time we get back. Night is upon us, and the
enemy may be about.”

Davina jerked her arm away from her brother’s grasp, gave him
a scowl, and left without a word. Maidie and Sven followed the pair to the door
and watched them ride away. Maidie observed Flora standing in the doorway of
her cottage watching Gavin and Davina ride toward the castle. Flora turned
toward her, went inside the cottage, then slammed the door shut.

The morning after Gavin’s visit, at the first light of dawn,
Maidie awoke with the sound of hoof falls and wagon wheels. A loud knock
sounded on the door. She popped out of bed, slipped on a pair of shoes, and
flung her arisaid over her nightdress.

Sven, rubbing his eyes, peeped from behind the curtains of his
box bed. “Whose at the door, Mam?”

“I dinna ken. Wait in your bed while I see who knocks this
time of the morn.” Maidie opened the door with caution.

One of the
luchd-taighe
from the castle stood at the door holding the reins of a horse,
another drove an ox cart loaded with blankets and food supplies. “I’ve brought
these things for you, Madam, and this horse for Tavish. A wagon of hay for the
horse and your cow follows.”

Tavish appeared around the corner of the cottage. “Hello,
Erskin. What have you here?”

Erskin handed the horse’s reins to Tavish. “’Tis for you,
Tavish. Sir Gavin says the steed replaces the one you lost in battle.”

Tavish took the reins and patted the neck of the animal. “He’s
magnificent. He more than replaces the horse I lost.”

“Hay for the animals is on its way, and these are provisions for
you and the lady.”

“Tell the chief and tanist I thank them verra much.” The
warrior pressed his head against the stallion’s broad neck, visibly moved by
the kind gesture of his chief. The horse neighed and stomped a hoof in approval
of Tavish’s display of affection.

Maidie smiled. What a nice gesture from Gavin and his brother.
She wondered how the chief’s wound healed and if Angus gave him proper
treatment. Surely, Andrew would not stand for the bleeding again. If he did
allow Angus to have his way, the physician would bleed the chief to his verra
death. Maidie cringed at the thought of Andrew dying.

She put her mind to work on an excuse to visit the castle. In
the meanwhile, she must go to
Maighstir
Tam at the abbey and ask his permission to use some of the herbs from the abbey’s
garden to replenish her healing salves and ointments. Sven needed to continue
his lessons under the
maighstir
also.
The good priest was teaching her son to read and write, and she so appreciated
his time and effort in Sven’s instructions.

Sven stood beside Tavish admiring the fine destrier, while the
two castle servants unloaded the supplies, stacking them inside the small
cottage. Maidie told the men she would arrange places for storage later. Tavish
led his horse to the byre with Sven following closely behind. Her son seemed
captivated by horses of a sudden. Or mayhap she had not noticed his interest
before now. She didn’t like this new turn in Sven’s attention to horses,
swords, and fighting. She decided to take him along when she cared for the
sick. The lad should develop an interest in tending the wounded and ill, if he
is to study medicine on the continent.

Maidie graciously thanked the servants before they left, then
went about arranging the needed supplies of food in the storage areas of the
kitchen. She gathered up two of the four bright woolen blankets for Tavish then
headed out of the back door. She would take one and give Sven one for his bed.
The cold Highland winter would soon come upon them, and the extra blankets were
welcome.

“My, how do you rate such fine treatment from the chief? With
even a castle warrior to sleep close by in your byre?”

Maidie turned toward the voice. Flora stood at the stone fence
enclosing the garden. A smirk etched across her friend’s face.

“Hello, Flora. How are you and Phillip this fine morn?” Maidie
didn’t know how to answer the woman’s question.

“Never you mind about me. I asked the question of you. My son
and me would like some extra food for the winter and fine woolen blankets from
the castle looms. Mayhap I could offer some of my services to the chief and
receive such favors.” Flora’s voice carried a dark foreboding edge that made
Maidie shudder.

“I’ll be more than willing to share whatever the chief sends
to me, Flora.” Maidie could not understand her friend’s attitude. She always
shared whatever she had with Flora and Flora with her.

“Will you share the fine warrior you have sleeping in your
byre?” Flora’s lips curled in a menacing snarl.

“There’s no need for such talk, Flora. I didn’t ask for Tavish
to be here. The chief sent him.” Maidie did not want to explain. She didn’t
like the idea of having the warrior trailing behind her either. If Flora
thought such, then the whole village must think the same.

“The villagers and myself just dinna understand the fine
treatment a Cameron is receiving from our chief, who was almost killed by one.
How do you explain to Anne when you see her, about Randal’s death at the hand
of your people? You ken Randal’s burial is on the morrow.”

“Nae.” Maidie shook her head while Flora’s words stung like a
thousand bees.

“Well, best you not attend.” Flora turned then walked away
before Maidie could answer. “Come, Phillip,” she called to her son, who talked
with Sven and Tavish.

Maidie stared after Flora. Surely her friends from the village
did not blame her for the feud and Randal’s death. Maidie had glimpsed Anne
helping Nellie in the great hall. Maidie heard from Davina that Andrew had
brought Anne to live within the castle walls, and was relieved the expectant
mother would have proper care. Maidie hoped she would be able to tend Anne at
the birthing of her bairn, but did Anne feel the same as Flora?

Maidie made her way to the byre where Tavish and Sven brushed
the large bay destrier. The animal’s big eyes caught sight of the bright
blankets. He stomped and snorted. Tavish patted the flowing mane. Maidie stood
very still. Horses frightened her, especially the huge warhorses of the
warriors. “These blankets are for you, Tavish. Are you comfortable here in the
byre?”

“Aye, Madam. I’ve slept in worse places.” The handsome warrior
smiled and took the blankets to deposit them on the floor beside his bedroll on
a pile of hay.

“I wish you would go back to the castle. Sven and I will come
to no harm.”

“Nae, Madam. Only when the chief tells me to return. I’m fine
here. I enjoy helping you and being with your son.” Tavish continued the
brushing.

“Mam, Tavish’s horse is named Thunder. Tavish said he makes
the sound of thunder when he runs. He said I could ride with him one day.” Sven’s
voice was filled with excitement.

Maidie shook her head at Sven. He seemed to love all the
things she wanted to keep from him. She asked Tavish, “Do you ken of Randal’s
burial on the morrow?”

“Aye.” He stopped brushing the mighty destrier and turned to
her. “I will go with you and Sven.” Tavish looked too pleased with the corners
of his mouth turning up in a smile.

 
“Sven and I will no’
attend the burial.” Maidie turned to leave before Tavish could question her
further. She had no desire to explain to the warrior or face the ire of the
village. She turned back on second thought. “Sven, stay here and help Tavish
brush his horse. I am going to the abbey to talk with
Maighstir
Tam.”

“Aye, Mam. I’ll stay to help Tavish.” A grin spread across the
young face.

“Sven and I will go also.” Tavish put the brush on a pile of
straw and pushed the hair out of his eyes.

“Nae. Stay with your horse. I’ll be just fine. I want to be
alone,” she insisted.

“But the chief said...” Tavish began.

“I said nae, Tavish. I dinna need an escort to the abbey.” She
didn’t want to be seen walking about the village with the handsome warrior. Did
the chief not care about the wagging tongues who would think the worse about
Tavish and her?

Maidie hurried back to her cottage, grabbed a large basket,
her arisaid, tied the Munro kertch over her hair, and then made her way down
the street toward the abbey. She passed several cottages. If a neighbor
happened to be outside, she lifted her hand to wave, only to be shunned with no
return of friendliness. Etta, an old woman who had befriended Maidie and Sven
after Kenneth’s death and brought them food on occasion, stopped working in a
bed of flowers and went inside her cottage when Maidie called out a greeting.
Feelings of hurt and dejection washed over Maidie as she realized her neighbors
no longer considered her a friend, but an enemy.

Kenneth had brought Maidie to the village of Drumainn in the Munro
Barony after their marriage seven years before when she was but eighteen.
Before the feuding began between Munro and Cameron, the clans were on friendly
terms and came together for parleys, gatherings, and celebrations. Kenneth
accompanied Chief William Munro to Thor Castle, the seat of Clan Cameron, on
one such occasion. Maidie, being the daughter of the Cameron’s youngest
brother, had gone with her father to the feast. Kenneth and she immediately
fell in love as they danced. He was a dashingly handsome man with bright red
hair and green eyes. Her heart melted while she danced in his arms. Kenneth
visited her home in Lochaber a month later and asked her father for her hand in
marriage. She left the manor house of her father to live in a cottage with
Kenneth, but she cherished every minute of their time together.

Kenneth promised to build a larger house on the two-pennyland
tract Chief William had granted him. They would need more room for their many
children, he told Maidie. Tears brimmed over in her eyes on remembering Kenneth
and the love between them. Oh, how she missed him, his warm embrace, his
gentleness.
Kenneth, Kenneth
,
came the name from the depths of her heart.