The Fox, page 3
“I am bastard born, and everyone knows it. With or without the name.”
“And a true member of our clan and family. Why would ye say ye are not a true Ross?” His brother’s expression left no room for argument.
Blowing out a breath Caelan had to smile. “Put yer chemise back on Stuart, I am not stating I do not feel like part of the family. I am stating how other lairds would see me.”
At his statement, Stuart huffed. “Ye are my brother and I do not wish for ye to ever think we consider ye less than ourselves.”
“I have absolutely no doubts about ye or any of our brother’s feelings. I am fortunate to have such staunch alliance from all of ye.”
In truth, Caelan often forgot he was half-sibling to the five men whom he’d come to love dearly. He had two sets of half brothers, the Ross brothers and his mother’s other two sons. However, it was with the Ross clan that he found himself at home and more accepted.
He was friendly with his other brothers, but they were more reserved with their affection as they’d not grown up together.
The Ross brothers were fiercely loyal to one another and that included him. In return, he was the same way and would not hesitate to give his life to defend any of them.
“I think ye should consider courting Glynis,” Stuart said pouring whiskey into a glass. “She is bonnie and has no husband.”
Caelan eyed the drink in Stuart’s hand. “Put the drink down. I know what ye are trying to do. To distract me. Ye cannot drink and work on ledgers.”
“What about…” Stuart began, but Caelan cut him off.
“The more ye try to distract me, the longer we will remain in here.”
When Stuart returned to sit across from him, Caelan slid a look past him to the doorway. Glynis was a beauty; however, he was not interested in courting or God forbid marrying any time soon.
The dining room was full for last meal. Dougal Ross and his wife Bree came for a visit adding to the merriment.
His stepmother and Glynis were joined by Bree, Cait, Ana, and Clara, Cait’s mother, at a table along with another woman he understood to be the wife to one of the men who worked there. He was used to the animated discussions of the women back at Keep Ross. However, since this house was much smaller, their voices filled the room giving the meal a cheerful feel.
Caelan sat with Stuart, Artair, Dougal, and their uncle, Lyall Ross, who’d come to live with Stuart and Cait. They were joined by a pair of guards who’d been traveling with Artair.
“I may join you in learning to keep ledgers. I need to learn about keeping track of expenses and such,” Dougal said. “I have more things to keep an eye on now that I live in the village. There is livestock and other items that I am accountable for.”
“Ye will not like it,” Stuart said. “I do not know why it must be so complicated.”
“Because ye have to ensure not to be giving or spending more than ye have. It is important to know where all yer holdings are and how much ye maintain,” Caelan explained with much more patience than he felt.
The truth was his mind was on Cairn and what the man had done. If it were up to him, he would have left the morning after arriving and gone to find him.
There was nothing lower than a traitor and a coward, in Caelan’s opinion. A man who betrayed those who’d fed and clothed him for years did not deserve to live.
As soon as the meal ended and the men moved to the front room to relax and drink, he slipped out the back door and went around the house to the guard homes. There were three small houses, two belonged to the guards and the third was where Artair lived. He knocked on the first door and it was opened by a young man who grinned at him.
“Mister Caelan,” Anton said. “What can I do for ye?”
“I wish to speak to ye in private.” He motioned for the young man to follow. “About the matter I am sure Artair has spoken to ye about. It will require yer prompt attention.”
Caelan went on to explain to Anton about Cairn. “As ye are aware, it is imperative ye are not caught. If Cairn happens to see ye, pretend not to remember who he is. He is as wily as he is dangerous.”
“I do not believe it will be a challenge, as I have never had an exchange with him. He usually ignored the servants.”
This was good. “Ye never had a conversation with him?”
“Nay,” Anton said shaking his head. “I do not recall ever even being in the same room with him. Other than perhaps in the courtyard at some point. I am fairly certain he would never recognize me.”
“Good.”
“When should I leave?”
“Tomorrow morning. Ye should be there by evening. Bide yer time, go about yer day as usual when visiting. But keep a keen eye out.”
Anton nodded. “And ears as well.”
Walking back to the house, Caelan felt good. Anton was bright and would in all probability be able to gather much more information than he or his brothers could. All that remained was to hope that Cairn stayed in the village long enough for Anton to discover what he was planning and where he would go next.
He hesitated at a window. Inside the room Glynis stalked to and fro, seeming to be upset about something. She held her hands up to her chest and had her head bent. It was a moment before he realized she was not upset but was instead praying. He would not have taken her for a pious woman. If anything, after the episode at the creek, he thought her more spirited than spiritual.
She did have a delightful body. Even now he could clearly picture her full breasts and round bottom. And he found the shape of her legs very enticing. He would not mind delving into her and running his hands and mouth over every inch of her body.
“There ye are.” His stepmother walked toward him, and he looked up to the sky, pretending to be engrossed in the passing clouds.
She looked to the window. “I wondered where she’d gone off to.” Her lips curved. “Ye seemed enthralled by her.
“I was actually deep in thought Stepmother,” Caelan replied in a crisp tone. “I would not have taken Glynis for a pious woman. Yet she seems to be praying fervently.”
“It is understandable,” his stepmother replied looking toward the window. “She finds herself in quite a predicament.”
“What kind of…”
“Forget I said anything,” she interrupted. “I came to ask ye about Stuart and the ledgers. He seems to find it rather daunting.”
“It is not beyond his grasp. However, for someone who prefers the outdoors, archery, and battle training, doing the opposite is hard.”
He truly wished to help his brother. Stuart was not at all interested in bookkeeping and it would become problematic if he let it fall by the wayside.
“I could remain longer and ensure everything is set up. Then return regularly to help. Make it easier for him to keep up.”
She walked beside him and slipped her arm through his. “Cait might could do it. She is a fast learner and took quickly to reading and writing. Isobel even began to teach her some numbers.”
They continued to discuss alternatives to Stuart being forced into doing something he so detested until they arrived back at the house, Caelan hesitated. “Stepmother, do not try to do any matchmaking between myself and Glynis. I am not interested.”
“I doubt the lass is interested in courtship. She came to South Uist for a reason.”
Again she did not elaborate, which despite himself, piqued his interest.
“Stepmother, why is she here?” Caelan took her elbow. “Ye act as if something horrible has happened to her.”
His stepmother gave him a soft smile. “Nothing so horrible that time away will not help. I assure ye, it is nothing to worry yerself over. I can only tell ye that she is here to heal.”
With that, his stepmother walked away.
A scant second later, Glynis rushed past him. Her face was bright as she looked to him. “I am to learn to ride a horse today.”
He followed her. “Who is going to teach ye?”
“The guard called… Ian, I believe. He overheard me telling my aunt how much I wished to learn so that I can ride places without waiting for someone to take me.”
When he continued to walk alongside, she gave him a questioning look. “Why are ye following me?”
“Why have ye not learned to ride before?”
She faltered and stopped walking. “No reason. Please go see about yer lessons with Stuart. I must find Ian.”
“Does Stepmother know what ye are about?”
“Aye, I just walked past her in the kitchen.” She motioned to the doorway. “Will ye go away?”
“No,” Caelan wasn’t sure why, but he was sure the reason Glynis wished to learn to ride had something to do with what his stepmother had alluded to. “I will teach ye to ride, but not today. It is about to rain.”
Glynis looked up and indeed clouds were gathering. She frowned at the sky. “Most bothersome. I have only a fortnight to learn. I cannot wait. I do not mind getting wet.”
Just as she was about to turn away, he took her by the arm. “Ye are the most headstrong person I have ever met. I said no.”
It took several seconds for Caelan to realize that the pain radiating up his body was due to the hard hit between his legs from her knee. He fell sideways to the ground, letting out a loud groan when his head hit a rock.
“Oh, dear,” Glynis stood over him, her eyes wide. “What have I done?”
Caelan tried to reply, but all he could manage was a croak. Lucky, since he’d tried to utter a vile curse.
She tugged at his arm. “Get up before my aunt sees. I do not wish to upset her.”
“Let me go,” Caelan managed finally able to speak. Tentatively releasing his hold from between his legs, he blew out a long breath. Doing his best to ignore the hovering woman, he got to his feet, bending at the waist as he stood.
“If ye do not go into the house, I will not be held responsible for what I do next.” His tone left absolutely no room for argument. When he straightened and glared down at her, Glynis’ eyes rounded, and she turned on her heel and dashed into the house.
“Vile wench,” he muttered and walked slowly over to lean on a fence.
“Want to ride to the village with me?” Artair walked from the direction of the stables. “Was that Glynis I saw racing to the house?”
Caelan nodded. “She planned to take riding lessons. I said no and she is angry.”
His cousin laughed. “A feisty lass then?”
“An annoying one. I prefer to keep my distance from her. However, I am responsible for her safety and will not have her breaking her neck while under my authority.”
At hearing his voice, his horse neared and nudged his arm. He produced a carrot and fed it to the delighted animal.
“I will go with ye. First, let me speak to Stepmother I do not wish for Glynis to take advantage of my absence and defy me.”
Artair walked alongside as they went toward the house. Obviously, he expected some sort of entertainment if the women turned against Caelan.
Inside the front room, his stepmother and Cait sat working on whatever item they made. Both looked up and his stepmother frowned at him.
“What did ye do to Glynis? She looked quite upset when she walked in.”
“I told her she could not take riding lessons from one of the guards. I will not have her injured while under my authority. And she kicked me.”
The women exchanged surprised looks.
His stepmother neared. “She struck ye?”
“Aye, but it is of no consequence unless I desire to produce heirs to my bastardom.”
Artair choked while trying to keep from laughing, his stepmother on the other hand looked directly to the injured area. “Perhaps a cold compress. Go to the bedchamber and remove yer bottoms.”
At this, his cousin burst into laughter.
“I will be fine. Artair and I are going to the village. Please do not allow Glynis out of yer sight. Her temperament will be sensed by the horse and she will no doubt be stomped to death.”
Cait pressed her lips together and her brows lowered. He wasn’t sure if she was embarrassed or trying to keep from laughing. His stepmother on the other hand huffed. “Caelan, I am sure she is mortified by her actions. I will speak to her and ensure she makes amends.”
“Tell her to stay away from me. That will be enough.”
“Are ye comfortable?” Artair asked. There was no humor in his tone.
Caelan set his back teeth at the reminder. “Not as comfortable a ride as I would have wanted.”
“What would bring her to act so violently?” Artair asked. “It could be her bright red hair.”
For a moment he considered what his stepmother alluded to—her healing. “Or she’s had to protect herself from an attack recently.”
The seashore came into view and they brought their horses to a stop. The picturesque village with a smattering of recently rebuilt cottages and shops was inviting. Fishing boats bobbed out in the blue-gray water, and in the distance a pair of bìrlinns made their way through the choppy waters.
“Where do ye suppose those bìrlinns come from?” Caelan said following their progress.
Artair frowned. “Benbecula or North Uist. I am not sure. Hopefully not the Uisdein’s out to cause more trouble.”
They rode in the direction of their cousin Dougal’s house. Hopefully he would know if visitors were expected.
Just before they arrived, they saw a party of guards, that included Stuart, riding toward Dougal’s house as well.
Upon spotting them, Stuart rode over to them.
Caelan pointed out to the sea. “Expecting visitors?”
For a long moment, Stuart tracked the bìrlinns. “Often people come to trade with the people in the village. Usually, the visitors are friendly. We can only watch and see.”
Stuart motioned for one of the guards to come near. “Go and ask Dougal about any expected visitors. Inform him of the two bìrlinns approaching.”
The guard rode off while Caelan and his cousins remained atop the hill watching as the bìrlinns maneuvered away from the village to another shoreline.
“That doesn’t bode well,” Stuart said grimly. “Why are they going to where there are no people?”
“Is there another village north of here?” Caelan asked.
“Aye, there is. They are not Clan Ross, but a distant relative of the Macdonald. Not a friendly bunch.”
The guard returned with a message from Dougal to come for a meal.
“Obviously he is not worried,” Artair said as they guided their mounts in the direction of the Dougal’s house that sat atop a hill.
Caelan looked back toward the sea. “Or he does not wish to impart the information through a guard.”
As they entered the house, they were greeted by the aroma of baking meat pies. The delicious smell had them hurrying to remove their cloaks and scabbards and get into the dining room.
As soon as they sat, a young maid placed cups of ale before them, and Bree brought a platter piled high with meat pies. “I was just telling Dougal that I’d made much too many. But it seems there was a reason for it,” she told them with a bright smile.
Caelan had met Bree only a few times. The woman was friendly and warm, always seeming to be in a cheerful mood. Quite the opposite of the hateful Glynis. “Bree, do ye plan to spend time with Glynis?” He wasn’t sure why he asked.
“Aye. She, Cait, and yer stepmother are coming to spend a couple of days here the day after tomorrow.” She gave him a questioning look. “Why do ye ask?”
He looked up at her with lifted brows. “Perhaps some of yer pleasant personality can help hers.”
Bree laughed and shook her head. “I am sure it is not as bad as ye think.”
“Somewhat,” Artair said. “She is quite fiery.”
Dougal hurried into the room. “I apologize for not greeting ye. I sent a man to see about those bìrlinns and find out who they are here to visit with.”
“I was going to ask that we do that,” Stuart said. “Ye know something?”
Shaking his head, Dougal took a long sip of ale and waited for his wife to leave the room. “I do not expect it is good. It is the second set of bìrlinns in a sennight. Each of them with at least twenty men. The last two landed just north of here.”
Stuart shook his head. “If they were going to the Macdonald village, they would not go by here. I suppose we can go there and speak to whoever is laird over them. I do not think they have close ties with the Macdonalds our brothers are married to.”
“That is another thing we need to find out. Perhaps send a guard to inform Darach and to ask Isobel about any relationship with them,” Caelan said.
The many questions hung in the air as they ate the flavorful meat pies. Despite the niggling feeling what happened could be tied to the sudden appearance of Cairn, Caelan could not decide if he should bring it up.
“Hopefully Anton will find out if Cairn is indeed in the southern village as soon as he arrives,” Stuart commented.
There was understanding in Stuart’s gaze. They were both thinking along the same lines. If Cairn recruited cutthroats to try anything against their clan, they were about to go to war again.
Chapter Four
Glynis sat up from the bed. Her eyes were dry and swollen from crying. Over and over, she relived what she’d done. The Ross’ were hosting her, helping her get away from a bad situation and she’d repaid them by acting like a child.
It was certain her aunt would send her back and she wasn’t ready to return home. The guilt that assaulted her each time she saw her brother, added to the blame she was sure her parents laid at her feet for what she had done, kept her stomach in knots.
After a rap on the door, her aunt entered with a cup in her hand. “I boiled a few herbs to help calm ye.”
Glynis stood and rushed to her aunt. She hugged her tightly. “I am so very sorry. Please forgive me.”
“Dear, ye are making me spill the tea,” her aunt said quietly.
When Glynis released her, Lady Mariel placed the cup on a table and motioned to a pair of chairs. The bedchamber was tiny, both she and Caelan were staying in servant’s rooms as there was limited space in the house. There were four servant rooms on one side of the house, two of which were left empty for guests. And the three rooms on the opposite side of the house were for Cait and Stuart, and the third was currently shared by her aunt and Cait’s mother.
