My Highlander: A Cree & Dawn Novel, page 14
“Elwin will obey and see to the task, but reluctantly. Dorrie is due to birth their bairn soon and he will not want to leave her.”
“Then choose someone and I will speak with him before he leaves. Tomorrow is soon enough. Have Elsa see to him,” Cree said with a nod toward Bram. “I do not want anything to happen to him before he leads us to this man Gillie. I also do not want him to have an easy death. He will suffer for what he did.”
“And rightfully so,” Sloan agreed.
Cree left Sloan issuing orders to the men and walked to the practice field. The few warriors there fled before he entered the area. He did not blame them. His fury was there for all to see, he could no longer hide it and he was having a difficult time containing it, which was why he had come to the practice field. He needed to release it.
He wanted revenge for his wife’s ordeal and the suffering it had caused so many. But now, at this moment, he was furious that Bram had called his wife dumb. That the ignorant man could not see beyond what was in front of him, a courageous, strong, intelligent woman who was able to escape him and his cohort.
He grabbed one of the swords that rested in the wooden holder that was brought to the practice field each morning. He swung with ease and skill as he approached the post in the ground. He had not battered another post since the day Dawn had returned, his anger having abated, though not entirely gone.
Someone had to be held accountable for what had happened and made to pay the consequences. Until that time, anger would stalk Cree.
He let that anger reign now, grabbing the hilt of the sword with two hands and delivering blow after blow to the thick post wrapped with rope.
His warriors and some of the villagers watched from a distance with fear and admiration of their chieftain. His proficiency and strength with a sword was unsurpassed and they could not take their eyes off him. He was truly remarkable to watch in action.
Cree swung and swung again until his fury died to an ember and the strain and ache in his arms warned him to stop. But he needed one last, good, hard swing and he took it, lopping off the top of the post.
He lowered the sword, his chest heaving like it had done so many times at the end of a battle, and this had been a battle for him, a battle to not let his fury rule and kill Bram too soon. He needed more information from him and he needed the man Gillie so that he had the two men who had abducted his wife. Somewhere between the two the truth would be discovered.
Cree took a deep breath, rolled his head and his shoulders, and when he turned, it was not the group of warriors and villagers watching him that drew his attention, it was his daughter walking toward him with Beast at her side… alone again.
He rested the sword against the post that now tipped to the side and had chunks missing from it and went to his daughter who was running toward him, Beast keeping pace at her side.
While he wore a scowl, his daughter greeted him with a cheerful smile.
“What did I tell you about going off on your own?” Cree said sternly.
“With Beast,” she said and gave the large dog a hug.
Beast at least understood that Cree was annoyed and avoided looking at him.
“Where is Mummy and Valan?” Cree asked.
“Turbett,” she said and scurried around him to hurry toward the battered post.
Cree shook his head and scooped her up before she reached it.
She giggled and grabbed his face to kiss his cheek.
“Kisses will not work this time, Lizbeth,” he said but damn if she was not melting his heart like she always did. “You have disobeyed me again.”
She scrunched her face. “Sorry.” Her small hand pressed against his chest, then pressed it to her chest.
How could one tiny lass get to him so much? That she used her mum’s gestures to tell him that she loved him tore at his heart and made him proud. His daughter was definitely going to be a challenge.
“You broke it,” Lizbeth said, pointing to the post.
“I did and Uncle Sloan will see it gets fixed.” The post was not a subject his daughter needed to know about. “Have you eaten?”
She shook her head. “Come find you to eat.”
“You cannot go walking around alone,” Cree said as he started walking, Beast following alongside them.
She sighed dramatically and raised her small hands. “With Beast,” she said as if she needed to explain it to him again.
He tapped the tip of her nose. “Beast is a dog—”
She grabbed his face in her small hands, stopping him from saying another word and shook her head. “Beast my friend.”
Cree could see this was not going to be easy. His daughter had as strong, if not stronger, independent streak and stubbornness in her than her mum did.
“Aye, Beast is your friend, but you cannot go off with only Beast, and you cannot simply go off on your own. If you do not obey me on this, Lizbeth, I will have one of my warriors follow you at all times.”
“Which one?” She turned her little head around searching for one. “He take me in woods. Pick flowers.”
“No!” he said with a sharp sternness that wiped the smile off his daughter’s face. “You will listen to me, Lizbeth or you will spend more time in your room.”
Her bottom lip began to quiver.
His daughter’s tears could do him in easily, so he was quick to say, “Tears will not help you, Lizbeth. Obey me or else.”
She sniffled back tears that had yet to spill and nodded, then slipped her hands around his neck and kissed his cheek. “Mad?”
“Not if you obey me,” he said, wanting to hug her tight and ease her worry, but it would do no good. She had to learn.
She nodded and kissed his cheek again. She kissed it at least six times by the time they reached the keep. And it touched Cree’s heart that her kisses were her way of saying she was sorry.
Dawn rushed out of the keep, her eyes wide with fright, just as Cree reached the steps and she sighed with relief when she saw her daughter in her husband’s strong arms.
“She is safe. You just realized she was missing?” he asked, wondering what had happened, since Dawn kept a good watch over the twins.
Before Dawn could gesture, Lizbeth spoke.
“Mummy with Valan. Me with Ina.”
Dawn nodded, confirming what her daughter said.
Cree placed Lizbeth on the ground, the little lass taking his hand as if she intended to keep him by her side.
“After we eat, I will speak with Nell and Ina,” Cree said to his wife and she nodded, looking relieved.
The two women stood in front of Cree visibly shaken and he had yet to say a word to them.
“Sit,” he said, pointing to the two chairs not far from where he stood in front of the hearth and the two woman immediately did as he said.
“Lizbeth may be a handful, but it is your responsibility to watch over her. And since she escaped your sight twice now in a short time, it would seem that neither of you are doing what is expected of you.”
“For a wee lass she is willful,” Ina said, a tremble in her voice. “She smiles that sweet smile of hers and you think she will obey what you tell her and then off she goes, doing whatever strikes her fancy. Valan is forever shaking his head at her. He is a purposeful lad. He can sit for hours with the many wooden figures Elwin has carved for him. Or play in battle with his sword. Though at night, his little head keeps popping up to make sure his sister sleeps before he does.”
“Aye he is a good lad,” Nell agreed.
“And Lizbeth?” Cree asked.
“Perhaps more curious than willful, my lord. But, truthfully, she is only a wee bairn and a happy one at that.”
It was Ina’s turn to agree. “That is true. She wakes with a smile and wears it throughout the day.”
Cree did not need to ask about Valan. While the lad did not wear a scowl like his da, he could often be found deep in concentration, a crinkle to his small brow. And then there were times he smiled and laughed, something Cree was glad to see.
“Regardless how willful, or curious, my daughter is, it is both your chore to make certain she does not wander off alone.”
“Beast goes with her,” Nell said and cringed at her own words.
“My daughter’s sentiments exactly,” Cree said, a glare surfacing.
Ina tried to rescue her friend. “The wee lass always goes on about her not being alone since Beast is with her more often than not.”
Her words gave Cree an idea. “You both will make sure Lizbeth does not wander off again or there will be consequences.”
Both women nodded vigorously.
“You may go, though one of you bring my daughter to me. I will remind her to obey both of you.”
The two women nodded again and looked somewhat relieved as they hurried to the door.
He waited, hoping the idea he had would solve the problem of his daughter wandering off with Beast.
Sloan entered the solar and did not get a chance to say a word since Lizbeth, giggling non-stop, came barreling in with Beast, the large animal shoving Sloan out of his way to keep up with the wee lass. Nell came in right behind her and stopped beside Sloan.
“Da!” she cried out with a laugh and threw herself at Cree.
Cree scooped her up and while he wanted to return her smile, he kept a scowl on his face.
Lizbeth rubbed at his scrunched brow just as Dawn did when she tried to ease his annoyance.
“You will obey Nell and Ina and not wander off with Beast or on your own. And you must share Beast with mummy. Beast will make sure mummy gets help in case she should ever need it.”
Lizbeth scrunched her brow as if thinking over her da’s words, then her face brightened in a smile. “When mummy has Beast, me have warrior. Pick flowers.”
Damn if his daughter was not negotiating with him.
“No, Lizbeth. No Beast. No warrior. No flowers. You do as Nell and Ina tells you.”
She kept her smile and nodded, then tapped his chest and her own. “Pick flowers.”
He could not keep the smile off his face. “Aye, I will take you to pick flowers, but not today.”
Lizbeth’s little arms went around his neck, squeezed tight, then she kissed his cheek.
Cree kissed her cheek, then set her on her feet.
“Bye,” she said with a wave to her da and to Sloan as she hurried past him, Nell following with haste after her and Beast.
Sloan was smiling and shaking his head. “She is a handful now. I can only imagine what she will be like when she is grown.”
Cree grinned. “That will be your son’s problem, since Old Mary predicted my only daughter would wed your son.”
Sloan laughed. “He will tame her easily enough, since he will have my charm when dealing with women.
“Like Lucerne who insisted she would marry anyone but you?”
Sloan spread his arms out. “But look whose charm she could not resist.”
Cree laughed and shook his head. “What brought you here?”
Sloan’s smile faded. “One of the warriors who was sent to follow the Macardle troop returned with news. It seems that along the way the troop increased by one man.”
Chapter 15
Possibilities of what that one warrior who had joined or rejoined the Macardle troop could mean occupied Cree’s thoughts as he walked through the village toward Elsa’s healing cottage. As soon as he had entered the Great Hall, and without even asking, Flanna had informed him that Dawn had instructed that he be told that she went to see how Ann fared.
Cree was pleased his wife kept him apprised of her whereabouts, but then he had warriors watching her, not following—at least not all the time—but he had eyes on her at all times so that he could track her movements if ever necessary. And never again would he allow her to go off anywhere, with anyone, without the protection of his warriors.
With that worry aside—not that it was gone or ever would be—he could concentrate on other matters like the increase of one warrior to the Macardle troop. Where had the fellow come from and where had he been? Could he be a Macardle scout? Had James sent someone ahead to scout the area and see what he faced before arriving?
That was something Cree had done numerous times, but would James?
Or could he have planted the man there before arrival and to leave a day or so afterwards to see what might follow their departure? Another thing Cree had done in the past and had proved beneficial.
His men would continue to follow the Macardle troop and report back as would Tannin. He would have to wait and see what other news followed before it all could be sorted out.
He was pleased to see Beast rise up in a stretch outside Elsa’s cottage just before Dawn stepped outside. When she saw him approaching, her face brightened in a smile.
God but he loved this woman. He sometimes thought of when they had first met and how frightened she had been when Colum, the liege lord at the time, had forced her to tend his wounds. He had been shocked when he had discovered she had no voice, though knew it was the very reason she had been chosen to tend him.
The more he had learned about her, the more he witnessed her courage, the deeper he fell in love with her. And he wanted nothing more than at this moment to take her in his arms.
He hastened his steps and seeing her do the same had him realizing she wanted the same. She wanted to be in his arms as much as he wanted her there.
He reached out and as she got closer his arm snatched her up in a tight hug. He relished the feel of her warm body and while she was still thinner than before, her face had plumped some and there was color to her cheeks and happiness had replaced the fear that had lingered for days in her dark eyes.
She kissed him, a light kiss, and pressed her cheek to his as her hand pressed against his chest, then pressed her own chest, telling him as she had done so often since returning home that she loved him.
“I will never grow tired of hearing you tell me you love me and I will never grow tired of loving you.”
Her smile grew and she gestured for them to walk and took his arm.
It was on his tongue to ask if she needed to rest, but kept hold of it. He had given his word he would leave it to her to decide if she needed to rest and she did not appear tired, and, truthfully, he wanted to walk with her as they had often done.
“Ann does well?” he asked.
Dawn tilted her head and closed her eyes briefly.
“She continues to sleep.”
Dawn nodded.
“No changes?”
Dawn shook her head.
She tapped her lips and cradled her free arm, rocking it.
“Aye I talked to Nell and Ina about our daughter and told them there would be consequences if Lizbeth wandered off again. I also talked with Lizbeth and warned her again about going off with Beast or on her own. I also told her that she was to share Beast with you, hoping that without Beast she would not wander off.” He looked down at the dog. “I am glad to see she listened and that Beast is with you.”
Dawn mouthed Lizbeth, tapped her mouth, pointed to Beast and tapped her chest, then rested her hand to her cheek and shut her eyes briefly.
“Lizbeth told Beast to go with you as you put her down for a nap?”
Dawn nodded.
“Good. I am glad she finally obeys me.”
Dawn smiled playfully and tapped her chest.
“Like you obey me? That is humorous, wife, truly humorous.”
Her chest shook with silent laughter.
It felt so good to talk and laugh as she walked with her husband. There had been times while away that she feared she would never get home, but she had always managed to push the fear away and remain determined. She was ever so glad she did.
There was, however, still one thing that had disturbed her and she could put it off no longer. She had to talk to her husband and explain what else had happened to her. The problem was that it would take some explanation and she feared he might misinterpret what she said, and that could prove upsetting.
Dawn kept a smile on her face, though worry and guilt nagged at her. She should have seen to this sooner. It did no good to wait. It only made it more difficult.
“You smile, but I can feel your body grow taut beside me. What bothers you, Dawn?”
Before she could answer, Sloan approached with Henry.
“Sorry to disturb, my lord,” Sloan said, “Henry has news.”
“Wait in my solar,” Cree ordered.
Cree walked Dawn over to a spot that afforded them some privacy.
Dawn gestured before Cree spoke. She tapped her lips, then his chest.
“You want to talk to me and I sense it is about something important.”
She confirmed with a nod.
“I will talk with Henry, then you and I will talk undisturbed,” he said and seeing the worry on his wife’s face, he grew concerned. His hand slipped around her waist, drawing her closer. “You can talk with me about anything, wife, for there is nothing, absolutely nothing that will make me love you less.”
She smiled after she brushed her lips across his. She expected him to say as much and his words did ease her worry, but not her guilt.
Dawn gestured that she would go and visit Lila and Cree walked her to Lila’s cottage.
“I do not know how long this will take, but I will come find you when I’m done,” he said.
Dawn pointed to the cottage, then to the keep.
“When you finish here you will be in the keep.”
She nodded and after a hasty kiss, Cree walked off and Dawn walked up the path to the cottage door.
“I am so pleased you stopped to visit,” Lila said, after opening the door and stepping outside. “Thomas just went down for a nap so we have some quiet time to talk without the wee bairns.”
Lila left the door open and the two went and settled in the grass near the garden.
“You wear your worry on your face, you always have,” Lila said. “What concerns you?”
Dawn voiced her troubling thoughts through her gestures.
“I can understand your concern that your husband might interpret your gestures wrong since it will take a bit of time to explain it all and especially since it is important to you. But that is easily resolved. I can interpret for you,” Lila offered.
