My Highlander: A Cree & Dawn Novel, page 26
“Extremely clear,” Sloan confirmed.
“Now I will speak with those who recently arrived here. Perhaps one of them can tell me about the wounded man,” Cree said, approaching Sloan.
“Or perhaps one of them is the one who wounded him,” Sloan suggested.
“I thought the same myself,” Cree said.
Dawn asked after Elsa first when she entered the cottage, Beast remaining outside and stretching out not far from the door to wait for her.
“I do well, he does not,” Elsa said, pointing to the man on the narrow bed.
Dawn pointed to him and tapped her lips.
“His name is Rutland and he has said nothing since speaking to Cree.”
Dawn pointed to Elsa, tapped her lips, shrugged, then pointed to the man.
“You want me to ask him something for you?”
Dawn nodded and mouthed Lara.
“Lara?” Elsa asked, a bit confused. “What has Lara to do with him?”
Dawn nodded vigorously, her eyes going wide.
“Oh, I see what you mean. That is what you want to know.”
Dawn confirmed with a nod.
“I will see if he will respond to me,” Elsa said and walked over to the bed to sit in the chair she kept close to it to tend the ill.
She squeezed the cloth that soaked in a bucket of water by the bed, then dabbed along his brow with it as she spoke. “Rutland, do you know Lara?”
He did not respond.
She kept her voice soft and continued dabbing the cloth along his face. “Is Lara a friend, Rutland? Is that how you know her?”
He stirred a bit.
“You are safe here. No one will harm you,” Elsa assured him and rinsed the cloth to dab at his brow again. “Rutland, is Lara a friend of yours?”
“Lara?” Rutland asked with a labored breath.
“Aye, Lara, how do you know her?”
Rutland shook his head and fought to speak. “No Lara.”
“You do not know Lara? She is from our clan?” Elsa asked.
He shook his head again.
Elsa turned a puzzled look on Dawn.
Dawn gave a nod to Rutland, held her side, and shrugged.
Elsa nodded in return, understanding, and asked, “How did you come by your wound, Rutland?”
He struggled to get the words out. “On… the road… robbers.”
Elsa turned to Dawn and whispered, “He grows weaker. No more questions.”
Dawn nodded, seeing for herself how the few questions had robbed him of strength.
“How long?” Rutland managed to ask.
Elsa turned to him. “How long for what?”
“Death.”
Elsa dabbed at his brow again with the wet cloth. “Worry not, rest.”
Her gentle words seemed to appease him or perhaps it was that she did not confirm the inevitable that he settled back to sleep.
Elsa stepped outside with Dawn, Beast getting to his feet as soon as they did.
“If he does not know Lara, then how did she get involved with your abduction?” Elsa asked.
Dawn shook her head and shrugged, wondering the same.
“It makes no sense. She helped your abductors. How could he not know her?”
It was a question that plagued and Dawn hoped it was one that her two abductors could answer when they finally arrived here.
Cree looked over the people who were settled in the lean-tos he kept near the outskirts of the village for anyone seeking shelter for a day or two. Most were travelers with destinations, like now. There was a crofter returning home to his family, a warrior to his clan, a woman and her son who sought safety for the night. And there were the two clergymen, one old, bent with age, the other on his way there, his head bowed some and his shoulders slumped as he walked.
He was the one who had offered to help when Cree spoke with the wounded man.
“Is the man doing well? Can I be of any help?” the clergyman asked, lifting his head.
“The healer sees to him,” Cree said and noticed an intense unrest in his dark eyes, not something one would think to see in a pious man of the cloth.
His fine features also caught Cree’s attention, striking the eye and making one take note of him. He wished he could see his hands, but he kept them crossed over his arms and buried in his sleeves. Hands told much about a person. A warrior’s hands bore the marks and scars of battle, a farmer’s hands bore the results of working in the fields and with the earth. For some reason, he did not strike Cree as a pious man.
“I can offer prayer and sanctuary for his soul,” the clergyman said.
“Do not waste your breath, clergyman, hell awaits him,” Cree said. “What brings you here?”
“We travel the area to bring comfort to those in need of guidance,” he said.
“You have been here before?” Cree asked, having seen clergymen here one other time but not knowing if he had been one of them.
“We have. It is kind of you to offer food and shelter to those who seek it in their travels. And if you are in need of guidance—”
“Spare me, clergyman, I need nothing from you,” Cree said.
“We are all in need in some way.”
Cree ignored his preaching and asked, “You will be leaving soon?”
“Newlin,” the clergyman said, nodding to the older man resting in the lean-to, “is not feeling well. A day or two of rest and his old bones should be well enough for us to take our leave.”
“My healer will tend to him,” Cree said.
“That is not necessary, your healer must be busy, rest will suffice,” the clergyman was quick to say.
“If I say it is necessary, clergyman, it is,” Cree said, reminding the man his word here was law.
“As you say, my lord,” the clergyman said with a slight, reluctant bob of his head.
Cree walked away, Sloan at his side.
“He never gave his name,” Sloan said.
“It does not matter. He would not speak the truth if he did. He is no clergyman,” Cree said. “Keep watch on him.”
Cree watched with pride as his wee son stood, his small chest out, his shoulders drawn back, his face scrunched in a scowl and his small hands gripped tight to his wooden sword as he swung at an imaginary foe. He would make a fine warrior one day and a wise leader, Cree would make sure of it.
He shook his head when he looked upon Lizbeth, sticking flowers in Beast’s fur. He looked like he had run through a field of wildflowers and every one of them had stuck to him. She had the large animal completely mesmerized with her sweet chatter, telling him how handsome she was making him and how much she loved him and always would.
Where his son, Valan, would conquer with a sword, his daughter, Lizbeth, would conquer with words and her foe would never see it coming.
“Where did she get so many flowers?” Cree asked, turning to his wife sitting beside him in their favorite spot beneath the big oak tree as the twins played.
Dawn pointed.
Cree followed her finger to Ina, talking with one of his warriors who seemed as mesmerized with her as Beast was with Lizbeth.
“See to your duties, Reed,” Cree called out sharply and the warrior bobbed his head and walked off without a word to Ina.
Ina turned away as well and joined Nell where she stood not far from Lizbeth.
“Ina went in the woods?” Cree asked, turning to his wife.
Dawn nodded and pointed again.
Cree did not have to look where she pointed. “Reed took her.”
Dawn nodded and smiled.
“I do not need my warrior distracted,” Cree complained.
Dawn continued smiling and patted her chest.
Cree kept his voice low. “It is not the heart he thinks with.”
Dawn’s silent laugh shook her chest.
“Reed will not find it humorous when he feels the consequences of not tending to his duty. Now, wife, tell me how Lila does.”
Dawn answered with a huge smile.
“She heals well. I am glad to hear that,” Cree said pleased, his wife’s worry having been apparent with the many times she had gone to Lila’s cottage to see how she felt and if she needed anything.
Dawn patted her chest, nodding, letting him know how much she was relieved that her friend did well.
“How was your visit with the wounded man? Were you able to learn anything from him.”
Dawn looked around for something to write with, forever grateful to her mum for having taught her. She reached for a twig and cleared a small area of earth to write.
“Rutland,” Cree said. “That is his name?”
Dawn nodded, then brushed his name away and wrote, Lara, then shook her head.
“He did not know Lara?”
She shook her head again.
“He could be lying,” Cree suggested.
Dawn scrunched her face slightly as if thinking over his words, then shook her head.
“You do not believe so?”
She gave another shake of her head and shrugged.
“A good question. Why lie now when he is dying?”
Dawn walked her fingers, then tapped her side, and wrote… robbers.
“He was stabbed by robbers while on the road?”
Dawn nodded.
Cree thought a minute. “It might not have been robbers. Macardle could have sent someone to kill him to keep him silent.”
Dawn agreed with a nod.
A wail brought Cree and Dawn quickly to their feet to find their daughter crying and Beast looking on helpless.
“Beast shook,” Valan said, going to his sister and picking up one of the flowers, that had gone flying off Beast when he shook his entire body, and handed it to her.
She took it and continued to cry.
Cree went to his daughter and scooped her up in his arm and wiped at her tears. “Beast was very patient with you, Lizbeth. You cannot expect him to sit still that long.”
She sniffled back her tears. “No more flowers.”
“You still have flowers. You only need to pick them up just as your brother did.”
“I will pick you more,” Ina offered.
“I go too,” Lizbeth said with a cheerful smile.
“No,” Cree said firmly. “You have enough flowers for today.”
“More,” Lizbeth said, then kissed her da’s cheek.
“Another day,” Cree said firmly and placed her on the ground. “Now pick up your flowers.”
Cree was pleased to see his son help his sister and before returning to his wife, he gave Beast a pat on the head, wanting him to know he had done nothing wrong. “Good job, Beast.”
That had his daughter hurrying to the dog and hugging him tight.
“Love you,” she said and kissed the top of his snout.
The dog licked her face and Lizbeth giggled, then returned to the task of gathering her flowers.
Cree joined his wife where she sat and she rested her shoulder to his and smiled.
“Finally, our daughter listens without debating the matter,” he said with a chuckle.
Dawn’s smile grew, finding the humor in it as well.
Cree took his wife in his arms and settled back against the tree to watch the twins work together picking up the flowers. He was content and glad for this time spent with his family.
He was not, however, glad to see Tarass approach, his face pinched with annoyance.
Cree raised his hand when Tarass went to speak after stopping in front of him. The man was not pleased, his annoyance turning to anger.
“Is this something that should be discussed in front of my family?” Cree asked.
“It would need not be if you had informed me that it was Macardle who had your wife abducted.”
“That does not concern you,” Cree said, getting to his feet.
“It most certainly does. No doubt you will punish him severely and I need to know if you intend to take his land in retribution.”
Cree walked away from his family, forcing Tarass to follow. He would not discuss this in front of others and certainly not in front of the twins.
“That would depend on if Angus Macardle was aware and approved of his nephew James Macardle having my wife abducted,” Cree said once they were a distance away.
“I wonder if Angus even knows what James does,” Tarass said.
“What do you mean?”
“After returning home and learning of the land dispute, I went to see Angus Macardle to settle it. I never got to meet with him. James gave the excuse that he was not feeling well. I attempted two more times to speak with Angus and twice it was James who met with me. I began to wonder if he was holding the old man prisoner.”
“What of his daughters? Would they not speak up in defense of their father?”
“They continue to recover from the fire that ravaged part of the keep and surrounding buildings and left Angus’s wife dead and several in the clan injured, including his daughters.”
“James made no mention of this when he spoke with me,” Cree said.
“Which is suspicious in itself,” Tarass suggested. “From what I have learned, since few of the Clan Macardle will speak about it, six or more months ago fire ravaged the Macardle keep. Now think about it. Life was lost, injures suffered, and suddenly a nephew arrives and takes command of the clan.”
“That does seem suspicious,” Cree agreed.
“And I believe that there is more to that land dispute than James says. The piece of land is not that large, not at all vital, so why does he so desperately claim it belongs to the Clan Macardle? And now the abduction of your wife. What is James Macardle up to?”
Cree was suspicious at heart. He had learned to be from the endless years of lies and deceit from those who had hired him and his warriors to fight for them. It was the reason he had demanded payment before he agreed to battle for anyone and because of his fierce, unconquerable reputation he had gotten what he demanded and he gave what they expected in return… victory.
He had hoped that was all behind him now, that he was settled, but once again he found himself faced with lies and deceit. The question was who was the most deceitful?
“James Macardle will tell me the truth, of that there is no doubt,” Cree said.
“I want to be there when you speak—” Tarass stopped as soon as Cree turned a scowl on him that would drop most men to their knees in fright. He, however, was not most men, though he was a man who respected Cree. “I would appreciate it if I could be present when you speak with James Macardle. It could help settle the stirring unrest in my area.”
“I will think on it,” Cree said and he thought it wise of Tarass to say no more on it.
“My lord,” Sloan called out as he approached.
Cree and Tarass both turned.
Sloan looked to Cree, ignoring Tarass. “Our warriors have returned with Gillie and Bram.”
Chapter 28
Cree went to his wife and reached down to take her by the arm and help her to her feet. “Gillie and Bram have arrived. I will speak with them and tell you what they say.”
Dawn nodded, aware that it would not be a pleasant sight to witness her husband speak to the two men and he wanted to spare her from seeing it. She gestured, pointing to the twins and resting her joined hands to her cheek.
“You are going to take the twins in for their nap,” he said.
She nodded again, then mouthed, Lila.
“Take Beast with you when you go see Lila,” Cree ordered.
Dawn nodded once again and gave him a quick kiss.
Cree hooked his arm around her waist before she could step away and whispered playfully, “You forever tempt me with your teasing kisses.
Dawn chuckled silently, then leaned close, so no one could see what she was doing, and ran her finger slowly around her moist lips before slipping it inside her mouth to suckle on it for a moment, then slowly removed it, and mouthed, later.
“Damn it, wife,” he grumbled beneath his breath, trying hard to control his rising arousal and trying even harder to keep the image of what she intended out of his thoughts. Though, now he had even more reason to beat the two men senseless, since they were keeping him from enjoying a pleasant romp in bed with his wife.
Cree walked off still grumbling beneath his breath.
Tarass joined him, keeping step beside him.
“You will say not a word to either one of them until I am done with them,” Cree ordered, knowing without saying what Tarass wanted.
“I fear that when you are done with them neither one of them will be able to utter a word,” Tarass said.
“Would it not be the same if it were your wife?”
“I do not seek a marriage born of love. Love gets in the way of things. I would, however, see the men suffer for daring to touch what belonged to me.”
Cree turned a grin on the man. “I thought that way once about a wife.” He laughed. “Fate had a different idea… she sent me Dawn.”
“Fate does not rule me.”
Cree laughed again. “Much luck with that.”
“Let me speak to Gillie first, then do what you want with them,” Tarass said annoyed.
“Do not take long,” Cree ordered.
Tarass nodded. “I will be brief.”
Cree saw that Bram had barely recovered from the beating he had given him and the other man, Gillie, had a few bruises on his face as well, no doubt from his attempt to avoid Cree’s warriors.
“I found him for you, that has to mean something,” Bram said as soon as he spotted Cree.
“Traitor,” Gillie spat, then his eyes looked as if they bulged from his head when he spotted Tarass.
“I paid you good coin for information, do you have it?” Tarass demanded of Gillie.
Gillie shook his head. “No one would speak his name let alone speak of him.”
“That is not what I asked. Do you have what I seek?” Tarass snapped.
“Given more time, I could find him for you,” Gillie said, hope heavy in his voice that this man could help free him.
“You found nothing?” Tarass asked curtly.
“I heard one thing, but it cannot be true,” Gillie offered, again hoping it would spare him.
