Lass' Valor (The Pith Trilogy) (7 page)

Kate
jumped up and shouted. “I got it, I got it.”

“Yah,
I knowed ye could do it, Kate.”

“I’m
going to get another one. Here, put this on the bank.” She handed the fish to
her. Bonnie used both hands to carry it. The fish wiggled, trying to jerk from
her hold. Bonnie flipped the fish onto the grass, where it lay still. The child
was so resourceful.

After
a few tries, Kate caught another fish, and a good sized one, at that. They
would be full for the rest of the day. She felt terrible about eating animals
and fish. She normally wouldn’t do so, given that she only ate vegetables. The
fish tasted bland, but it would suffice as a meal.

“Who
is your Uncle Walden? Does he live within your clan?” Kate used a leaf to wipe
her hands.

“Mama’s
uncle. Mama was sad when he died and Aunt Mathilda cried.”

“That’s
sad, I’m sorry he died.”

“Aye,
me too. Mama said he had a good life.”

“He’s
with the Gods now, probably showing them how to use the spear. Thanks for the
idea.” After cleaning up the campfire, and collecting Trixie, they moved on,
going farther north.

“Kate,
how long do ye think it will take now?”

“I
don’t know, Bonnie. I hope not too long.”

“I
can’t wait to get home. Papa will be angry and Mama will cry.”

“Lovey,
your papa will be so happy to see ye, it won’t matter. You’ll see.” Kate hugged
her.

Kate
couldn’t sleep that night. The image of the warrior floated in the recess of
her mind. She had no idea how he was connected to Bonnie or if she would ever
meet him. Try as she might, the image wouldn’t go away. She didn’t fall asleep
until the middle of the night, but Bonnie slept soundly.

In
the morning, she realized they were past the border. The terrain hadn’t changed
much, but Bonnie insisted they were closer to home. How could a seven-year-old
know that? Kate felt safer knowing they had traveled a good distance, and had
left England behind. Richard couldn’t find them in the deep woods of Scotland.
She grew tired from sitting on the horse and decided it would do them good to
stretch their legs.

Kate
dismounted and helped Bonnie down then she released Trixie from the satchel.

“Do
ye deem we’re in the Highlands?” Bonnie skipped beside her.

“Mayhap,
‘tis eerily quiet and the birds aren’t making any noise. Why do ye suppose that
is?” Kate searched ahead for danger, but didn’t see anything amiss.

“I’m
scairt, Kate.” Bonnie moved closer, taking her hand.

“I’m
certain it’s only my imagination running wild. Trixie seems to have run off.”

She
searched along the trees for her. They continued walking and after a few
minutes, Trixie returned, carrying a small creature in her mouth. Kate found a
trail a half-hour later. The forest still remained eerily quiet, but they
walked along silently.

A
man jumped out from a bush and stood with his sword aimed at her. Not just any
man—but a daemon. Kate shoved Bonnie behind her in an attempt to protect her.
She stood mesmerized, biting her lower lip so she wouldn’t yell out. She became
afraid—terrified, was more like it.

“Good
Goddess above.” The man was a barbarian, painted like a heathen. He would kill
her and make off with Bonnie. How would she ever get Bonnie home now?

The
warrior stood in a foreboding manner, holding the largest sword she’d ever
seen. Several men strode from the thick forest surrounding them, seeming to
magically appear. All of them, including the warrior, wore blue painted symbols
on every part of their bodies, except for the parts covered by their tartans.
Kate swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. Bonnie pressed against her
back, holding her up. She was thankful for that. If not, she’d probably be
lying on the ground at the heathen’s mercy. Swooning seemed a reasonable
reaction to the horrifying situation, but she wouldn’t dare.

His
eyes, made even colder by the dark paint that covered his face, pierced hers.
Kate turned slightly to see if there was a way to bypass him, when she noticed
the man motioned to the others to stay back. They obeyed.

“Lass,
don’t be afraid, I mean no harm.”

“I’m
n-not a-afraid.”

The
warrior laughed.

“Aye,
ye are, don’t be. What are you doing traveling alone in the darkened forest?
Are you by chance, a damsel in distress or a fairy?”

The
warrior’s laughter drew an odd look from his men.

“I’m
Lady Kaitlin Stanhope, and I’m on my way to the MacKinnon clan’s holding.” She
couldn’t believe she actually spoke to the man. Was she still standing? Nay,
she hadn’t swooned, as she thought she might have. Bonnie continued to press
against her legs, trying to get around her, but Kate held her back.

“You
are?” He sounded surprised. The warrior turned and gave a look at the others,
but they remained quiet.

“Aye,
and if you would be good enough to point me in the right direction, I’d be
grateful.”

“Why,
lass? Are ye a friend of Julianna’s?”

“Julianna,
um … nay. Do you know the way?” She hoped the warrior would accommodate her,
and at the very least, give a direction, but he wasn’t compliant. He stood
there scowling, shaking his head.

Bonnie
peeked around Kate’s skirts then screeched loudly. She ran full force at the
warrior. Kate became dizzy, an overwhelming sense of faintness struck her, and
she wavered on her feet.

“Bonnie,
don’t.” Kate tried to pull her back, but she was all ready out of her reach.

“Bonnie?”
The warrior stepped forward.

“Aye,
Uncle, ‘tis me.”

“Oh,
Bonnie, lass!” He lifted her high in the air, hugging her close then kissed her
face. “Oh, fairy, I missed ye. Don’t ever scare me like that again.”

“I’m
s-sorry, Uncle. I j-just …” Bonnie’s lip trembled and she cried.

“Where
have ye been? Your Mama and Papa are worried sick.” The warrior continued to
hold her close, petting her hair. He couldn’t seem to believe that he held his
sweet niece in his arms.

“I
been with Kate.”

“It’s
a long story.” Kate stood by watching their reunion, still reeling with
dizziness.

He
turned back to the men and spoke in a stern voice. “Make camp.”

The
men turned reluctantly and went about making a fire and laying their bedrolls.
Kate stood shocked to the ground, not wanting to move for anything. This was
Bonnie’s uncle? Good Goddess, the man was quite intimidating. She hoped she
wasn’t showing signs of fear, and tried to calm her racing heartbeat.
Please,
please, Goddess, get me out of here.

“Lass,
who’s the lady?” He spoke in Gaelic to Bonnie.

Bonnie
turned to look at her. “That’s Kate, she saved me.”

“She
did?”

“Aye,
and ye know what?”

“Nay,
what, fairy?”

“She
brung me home.”

“Aye,
she certainly did.”

The
warrior looked at her, and stared intently as if judging her. Kate felt awkward
under his scrutiny, but she also felt the sudden urge to run.

He
scowled, motioning to her. “Lady, join us.”

She
walked slowly to where he stood with Bonnie.

“How
did ye come to have Bonnie in your care?”

Kate
couldn’t find her voice, robbed of all her senses. The man was a huge warrior
covered in paint for the sake of the Goddess. She couldn’t even tell what he
looked like. His hair matted down with paint, and she couldn’t see any skin
showing on his face, arms or legs. He wore a tartan around his waist, and had a
huge sword in a scabbard by his side. The man made Kate feel uncomfortable
standing so close to him. She could feel her blood creeping up her neck and she
grew heated.

“Lady,
I asked ye, how did you come to have Bonnie?” His voice hardened.

“I-I
uh …” Kate couldn’t get a word out, her throat went dry, and her heart beat
madly.

“Uncle,
I’ll tell ye.” Bonnie turned his face toward her.

“All
right, lass, I wish someone would explain.”

“Papa’s
going to make me sit in his chair ‘cause I was supposed to be resting, giving
poor Emma a wee break, but I couldn’t. I left the tent and a mean man picked me
up. He took me to his home and I was there a longed time before Kate came. She
promised to bring me home and you know what?”

The
warrior silently listened to his niece and tried to understand her babbling.

“Nay,
what?”

“She
did. She’s bonny, too.” Bonnie spoke in Gaelic, and Kate didn’t understand a
word she said. She barely paid attention, because her body stiffened and she
couldn’t control the heat which had overtaken her.

The
warrior stood rigidly, watching them both as if he tried to make sense of what
his niece just told him. Kate watched the two of them in return. The warrior
didn’t introduce himself, which she thought was rude, but he certainly was
daunting. She wanted to ask what Bonnie had told him, but she kept quiet.
Besides, Bonnie must not have finished, because she took a breath and began
speaking again.

“Kate
and I ran to the horse. We got away, and now ye found us, Uncle.” Bonnie yawned
and her eyes drooped.

“You
will explain now, lady.” He nearly shouted, his eyes blazing with fury.

Kate
watched the warrior turn into two images then both waved before her eyes. The thump
of her heart pounded in her ears and her eyes began to tear. She searched for
something to grab hold of, but there was nothing close by except for the
warrior. Falling backward, Kate fainted dead-away.

Brendan
MacKinnon muttered a curse and set his niece on the ground. He knelt beside the
lady, knowing that his paint must have frightened her. He should have told her
that he and his men did so only in respect of their ancestors and for their
amusement, not to frighten damsels. She’d fainted, and he wasn’t sure what to
do about it. His comrade, Gil, handed him a flask of ale, which he poured on
the woman’s face. She sputtered and lay back groaning.

He
used his instincts to discern the woman’s character and if what his niece told
him was the truth, he owed her much. Keeping his gaze on the woman, whom he
thought had to be the most beautiful lass he’d ever seen, his talent for
keeping his emotions hidden definitely came into play. He eyed her skeptically
and could tell she was nervous. He supposed he should not frighten her anymore
than she all ready was.

“Are
ye all right? You swooned.”

“I
did?” She closed her eyes.

The
woman didn’t speak further, and yet his niece wept over her as if she’d died.
He didn’t know how to deal with either female, and watched them with reverence,
taking his niece in his arms again. When he’d held Bonnie’s little body
securely in his arms, he immediately felt relief from all the pain of these
last months. He’d searched for her, as had her father and most of the clan,
never dreaming she would find him. Now that he held her, he couldn’t put her
down. His mind whirled with questions as to who had taken her, where she had
been all this time, and what the lady had to do with her abduction.

But
Brendan couldn’t ask, he stood there in mass confusion. The woman took his
breath away. He assumed he’d stopped breathing, at least, he didn’t feel his
chest moving. She had the most appealing hair, as light as the color of the
sun. The men behind him gawked and their restlessness brought him back to
reality.

He
stretched his hand at her, offering assistance from the ground. She placed her
dainty hand in his and he helped her to stand.

“Lady,
I can’t thank ye enough—”

“My
lord, I’m just happy to return Bonnie to her family.”

Brendan
listened to her voice, the soft sound caressed him, and a strange feeling
overcame him. He looked at her eyes which appeared to be lilac, and contrasted
with her pale hair … he felt the sudden urge to smile.

She’s
a fairy. Aye, a bean-sith who saved his niece
.

Her
beauty caused one of his men to whistle low and he turned to scowl at his
rudeness.

“I’ll
be going now that Bonnie is safe.” She turned and started to walk away. He
heard her mumble, “Just get your cat, jump on your horse, and get the hell out
of here.”

Brendan
stood in front of her before she had taken two steps.

“Lass,
I can’t let you go.” For some reason those words sounded romantic to him.
Perhaps it was the way he’d said them, mayhap it was the truth, veritably he
was being outlandish.

“Why
not?” She couldn’t keep the garish tone out of her voice, which made him grin.

“Because
ye must explain to my brother what happened to his daughter. He’ll want to speak
to you. You will come with us.”

“You
can explain it to him. I’m going home.” She turned and walked away.

Brendan
handed Bonnie to one of his men and stalked after her. “Nay, wait, I cannot let
ye walk off alone in the forest without protection. Come, you look tired and
need rest. We’ll protect you, have no fear. My brother will expect an
explanation and you must give him your account. What of Bonnie? Surely ye want
to make certain she reaches home.”

She
sighed, looking in the distance of the forest. Brendan continued to frown. She
didn’t seem to know where to go, and she didn’t appear to like being at his
mercy. When he didn’t back down, she shrugged her shoulders and went to lie
next to Bonnie. Seeing how she looked at Bonnie, he knew she wouldn’t leave
until his niece was safely home. At least, that’s why he demanded that she
return with them. Mayhap that wasn’t exactly why he’d asked her to stay—he
didn’t want her to leave. He could read her character easily and sensed she was
a gentle, sweet lass.

Brendan
watched her settle down next to his niece. Gil, his longtime friend, came
toward him, but Brendan shook his head before he spoke. He didn’t want to
disturb them. Exhausted, both his niece and the lady lay on a bedroll. He
wondered what they had gone through. The lady was obviously English and he
wondered if they had come that far. Bonnie had been abducted in London from the
king’s castle. His brother, Colin, still resided in England searching for her.
Brendan would have to send someone to fetch Colin, and called two of his men
forward. He knew his brother and sister-in-law would be elated at the news that
he’d found Bonnie.

His
brother would be overjoyed and most anxious to leave England. Neither he, nor
his brother, enjoyed a visit to that country. Brendan wanted nothing to do with
that land, and regretted his decision not to protect them when they’d gone for
a visit to Henry at his summer castle. If he hadn’t been so occupied helping
his cousin, Douglas, with his difficulties, he probably would have gone, and
his sweet niece wouldn’t have been abducted. Too late now to feel such guilt, at
least he’d found her and she was safe.

He
took a plaid from Gil and covered them. Something rubbed against his leg and he
looked down at his feet and saw a cat, a very fluffy cat that meowed at him. He
opened his pouch, took out dried meat and fed the animal. A string around the
animal’s neck interested him, and he touched the covered object. The cat
hissed, then went to lie down with its mistress, and began cleaning itself.

Never
in a hundred years had Brendan thought he’d be lying in the woods watching a
bean-sith, a feline, and his niece slumbering beside him. He gave a hand signal
to Gil, indicating that he wanted him to do the rounds, but he wouldn’t rest
until he was assured his niece was safely tucked away on their land. Brendan
leaned back against a tree and closed his eyes, listening for sounds of danger.
A smile came to him—a very unusual occurrence.