Kara Griffin - Gunn Guardsmen (31 page)

“I am blessed, Kenneth, and you will be too, if you just get the courage to go and see her.”

“Are you sure you can ride?” Kenneth lifted the cup indicating the amount of drink they’d imbibed.

“Why? I am well enough. I barely drank any of the drink. You drinking more these days? For you drank most of it, Kenneth, and hardly left any for me.”

His head began swimming. “Damn you, Grey, you did that on purpose.”

Grey headed out the door with a laugh and a wave.

Kenneth leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He had to think on what he’d say and do when he went to fetch his wife. He spent the rest of the night sitting at the table considering the matter.

Morning came, and still he hadn’t slept or thought of anything useful for his pursuit. He didn’t feel like moving and when the door opened, he noticed snow whipping the wind behind the person entering. That wasn’t expected, a snowfall this late in winter, especially with the warmer days they’d incurred lately. It was the last thing he needed right now.

Then he noticed who had entered.

“Ah, sweet lad, there ye be. I came to say a few words to you.”

He raised a brow and rose, towing over the aged woman. Her hair was as white as the snow now falling outside. Though he’d heard about her often, he hadn’t ever spoken to her. His own mother adored Uma and when he was wee, she’d tell him stories of her insight and how she would tell them of fascinating tales. As a lad the tales entertained him, but now that he was grown, he was leery of her.

“Mistress, won’t you sit?” Kenneth helped her into a chair, as fragile as she seemed, he was afraid she’d break in half when she sat. He couldn’t even begin to guess her age for she was older than anyone within the clan.

“I saw her in my mind.”

“Elisa?” he guessed.

“She’s a bonny sweet lass. Aye, I saw her many a year ago, before you father passed. I told Helena of my forsooth, and all has come to be. Alas, I did not envision your bond ending with your torment, lad. Such sorrow for ye both.”

She reached out to touch him, but Kenneth wouldn’t allow her to. She spooked him, for her eyes seemed like glowing embers. Aye, she was a witch who could see into one’s soul.

“I will remedy that eventually.”

“Ye must for she is alone and always will be unless you retrieve her. She is very sad, lad, at your acceptance of her rejection. You didn’t protest to leaving or fight for her. She wished for a show of your affection and gallantry.”

Kenneth nodded, saying nothing.

“Now, ye shall go, and many blessings will come to you. Have faith all will be set to right.”

Helena entered the hall and stopped short upon seeing Uma. “What are you doing here? Are you unwell? You rarely leave your cottage, and in this weather?”

“I had to see the lad this day and now that I have I will return to my cottage.”

Helena stood beside the aged woman. “Kenneth, help her.”

He wasn’t about to say nay, for they both looked ready to fall to the floor as fragile as they both appeared. Kenneth took Uma’s arm and walked her to the door. When he opened it, he was greeted with a gust of snow-driven wind.

“You will need to stay here tonight, I’m afraid. The snow is too deep for you to trod home. Helena would be glad of the company and we have plenty of room.” Kenneth returned Uma to the table and he went to his chamber.

Once alone, he closed the door and looked longingly at the bed and wished he could sleep, but alas he could not. He looked at the window and noted the snow had deepened. Concern came to him for Grey because he had far to travel in such nasty weather. He should have forced him to stay too.

Since he couldn’t travel, he sat in the chair beside the window and pulled one of the tartan’s Elisa had used over him and stared across the room.

When he opened his eyes, he realized he’d fallen asleep. It was early in the morn, and he glanced out the window and saw the high snow drifts. With the heavy snows the day before, he wanted to ensure the clan was warm enough and had enough food. All would be imprisoned in their cottages until the storm let up.

Kenneth reached the hall and grabbed a heavy fur cloak and pulled it around his shoulders. Outside the whiteness blinded him. After a few seconds, his eyes adjusted to the brightness and he saw several of his clansmen chopping wood in the courtyard.

He approached Duncan and Simon. “Have the men help you and make sure everyone has enough firewood. There’s a good bit of peat stored in an empty stall in the stables, too.”

Kenneth trudged through the knee-high snow, his legs becoming numb. He visited each cottage ensuring his clans’ people had enough food and didn’t want for anything.

Snows as deep as this often caused senseless deaths and he would not allow any to go without necessities. Throughout the day, he was welcomed into their homes. Kenneth was gladdened by their acceptance and wouldn’t reject their offer of food or good conversation. Many did not enjoy being closed in and seemed happy by his visit.

The only thing that dejected him was when they asked after his wife. None knew Elisa hadn’t returned with him except for Helena who swore to keep it secret. Kenneth didn’t want to upset the clan with news of her departure because they adored her and he considered the ramifications. They might not be as accepting of him if they learned the truth – that he had lost their lady.

By the end of the day, he was appeased his clan would farewell during the storm. Kenneth slogged through the courtyard, barren of anyone now that the sun, which really hadn’t shown itself, was setting. The sky looked ominous and the wind blew drifts of snow, and he realized the snow fell hard again. If it kept at this pace, the situation would become dire.

Duncan and Simon had long finished their chore of distributing the wood and must have gone inside to get warm. As he made his way toward the keep, he listed to the silence of the snowfall and windswept drifts. The beauty and serenity of it was astounding. Kenneth wished Elisa was here for he wouldn’t mind being snowed in with her. Many bairns would be born next January for he suspected his clansmen would enjoy the warmth of their wives bodies this night.

A noise came from behind him and he turned. He swore it was the sound of an arrow whipping through the air. Another came, and then another. Kenneth was so cold, he hadn’t sensed his body being pierced until he glanced down and saw the arrows sticking out of his right thigh and left shoulder. The last had stuck his waist where it embedded. Pain wracked him and he turned to see a figure of a man in the distance. The figure became blurry but by God he thought he recognized him.

Kenneth’s strength depleted from the pain now coursing through his body. He fell to the ground, landing on his side and his face a short distance from the steps of the keep. His gasps clouded the air as he drew breath. The cold snow felt somewhat comforting, allowing him to realize he still lived. I’m not dead, he thought before he closed his eyes.

He moaned when he heard the crunch of footsteps in the snow getting closer. His enemy was about to do him in and he waited apprehensively for the final blow.

“Laird!” Duncan shouted for help and lifted him. The man was a beast and didn’t exert himself when he carried him inside the hall and placed him on the table.

He tried to speak but now there were a good many people in the hall, most questioned in outraged voices at what had happened.

Kenneth had to say the name and was able to speak it, “Aiden.” The name came out as a groan and he didn’t think Duncan understood him.

Duncan leaned close. “What say ye? Who did this to you, Laird? I’ll set a search out for him as soon as the snows subside. Laird?”

The last thought he had before losing consciousness, I’m safe.

Helena stood next to Uma and clicked her tongue. His wounds looked serious and she started to worry. “We cannot ask the healer to come out in this weather. It is up to us to save him.” She winced for she would have to pull the arrows from his body. When she went to reach for the one in his shoulder, Duncan gently pushed her aside.

“Let me, milady.” He yanked the arrow from Kenneth’s shoulder, leg and side, tearing some of the skin in the process. Blood began soaking through his garments.

She couldn’t berate the man for his use of force because he was only trying to help. “Assist me in remove his clothing,” she said to Uma. For two old ladies they had Kenneth naked within minutes. Helena assessed the wounds.

“Duncan, we’ll need water and some cloths. Simon, in my chamber there is a wooden box next to my bed, bring it to me.”

Uma grinned. “Have ye ever seen such a fine specimen of a man? Why if I were a young maid I wouldn’t be able to keep my hands off him.”

Helena chuckled. “You shall have your wish, Uma, for we need to clean and tends his wounds.”

“Och, I’m sorry this happened to him, but I am not sorry to have to touch him.”

Duncan returned with the water and cloths, and Simon with her box.

Helena began mixing the herbs she’d need and ground several coxcomb leaves for his pain.

“You’re using too much,” Uma said.

“Nay, this calls for at least three leaves.”

“Nay it doesn’t. You’ll kill him with that much coxcomb.” Uma slapped her hand.

Helena was worried about the amount to use and decided not to add the last leaf. She had ground it to a powdery substance and added a few drops of water until it would be able to slide down his throat. Duncan helped her to keep Kenneth’s mouth open so she could pour in the remedy.

Uma was thoroughly washing his body. She stopped by his midsection and stared at him a little longer than necessary. She nudged her friend, who scoffed.

“Uma, for shame. Have you no decorum?”

Uma flushed and her wrinkled skin brightened on her face. “To be honest, nay. Och I was just thinking … Why did I not perceive this coming?”

“You have received no visions of it?”

She shook her head. “He is the only man I’ve had visions of for so long. Only he and the lass. I had visions yestermorn and came to tell him about them. But none this day. Mayhap my visions are fading.”

Helen grew concerned for Uma for she was aged. Though she wouldn’t say it aloud, she considered her time might be nearing and if she was losing her gift, it was a sure sign. Helena finished tending the wounds and added a mixture of Solomon’s Seal and a bit of oak oil. She then applied her needle to his flesh, closing the wounds, and wrapped them with cloth that she had Duncan tear for her.

“Some lass should snatch you up, Duncan. I would say love-making with you would be intense.” Uma laughed at her quip, her snicker coming harsh.

Helena had never seen Duncan blush, and he paced alongside the table dismissing Uma’s rash statement.

“Will he live?”

Helena’s eyes saddened at the sight of her Kenneth, lying so helplessly on the table. “I hope so, och he already burns with fever. I’ve given him too much coxcomb and cannot administer the fever remedy yet. His wounds were tended with enough salve to ward off infection so I must have hope. What say ye, Uma? Will he live?”

She sighed heavily. “I know not. I see … nothing.”

“Go and take rest, Uma, you look tired. I shall watch over our lad.”

Duncan helped her take the stairs and Helena finished washing Kenneth and then covered him with a McInnish tartan. She had Simon add logs to the hearth in the hall to warm the chamber and stood by watching Kenneth’s chest rise and fall uneasily.

“Who would want to do this to him?” Duncan asked when he returned from the stairs.

Simon frowned. “Someone obviously wants him dead.”

“The only enemy he had was Domhnall and he’s gone. If the snows were not so deep, I would have the entire keep searched. We’ve a traitor amongst us.”

“Do you deem Aiden is behind this attack?” Simon asked.

“I know not. No one has seen him since the day we prepared for Domhnall’s coming. He wasn’t happy about Kenneth’s return, but to be so vindictive …”

Helena stood afar and had been unable to hear their discussion. She didn’t like seeing Kenneth so near death. As the night progressed, Kenneth held on to life. She left Duncan to watch over him and went to check on Uma. The aged woman concerned her.

It took forever for her to reach the level above as her leg pained her. Her limp grew with each step and yet she tried to move as fast as she could. When she reached her chamber, she opened the door and saw Uma lying on the bedding. Helena reached the bedside and touched her friend’s face.

Uma opened her eyes. She reached out for her hand. “Helena, I fear I shan’t make it to morn. I feel my body slipping away.”

“Rest easy my friend. I will sit here with you.”

Uma grabbed her hand to keep her from moving away. “The lass,” she said, her voice falling to a level of disquiet. “She’s in danger.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Elisa wished she could enjoy the early spring warmth, but she was far too busy to have a care for the sunshine. The snows thankfully had melted within weeks. She’d never seen such a fierce storm and had worried some would not survive it. If not for Sean and Colm, her clan would have suffered. But they had taken care to ensure everyone had enough supplies to last throughout.

She quickly hurried to the door and was about to exit when Sean stopped her. He was coming toward the cottage, holding a missive.

“Elisa, I’ve received word from the McInnish clan.”

Turning, she closed the cottage door and watched him walk hastily to her. He took her arm and led her back inside to the table. She was wont to pull away, but the concern on his face stopped her.

“What word have you received?” She didn’t like the expression he wore. “Is Kenneth well?”

“You had better be seated.”

She did as he asked. “You are worrying me, Sean. Speak for I cannot take another second …”

“The missive indicates Kenneth was injured, but he’ll survive. Someone tried to kill him.”

Elisa felt sick to her stomach. Her heart rose to her throat. “He shall live?”

“Aye, and there’s concern that someone might try to harm you. Colm and I will have to be with you every second. I won’t allow anyone near you. You cannot leave the cottage now.”