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“I’m glad you thought to include facial cleanser and moisturiser in the toiletry supplies you brought.” Caitlin stood in front of the 1960s style dressing table in her nightgown. The dressing table didn’t match the bed. Nothing matched. “Wish you had thought of make-up though.”
“You want makeup?” Scott came closer and stood behind her. His expression of disbelief reflected in the mirror.
“Yes, it’s probably the only thing I miss. You could have let me pack before we left Uncle Kieran’s.”
“Caitlin! You were nae coming with me. Remember I had to drag you out of there! Seriously, you never wear makeup in the future. You had opportunities to buy it, but the choice was medicines for our people or makeup. Being the leader you are, makeup lost, every time. Besides,” he put his arms around her waist, “you’re a beautiful woman. You dinnae need makeup.” Caitlin sank into his hug and smiled deeply. Scott was one of the few people who had seen her without makeup. Scruffy growled at the backdoor. Then the sound reached human ears—a dogfight in the backyard.
“Oh, no!” Scott shouted as he grabbed his handgun and ran into the garden. Caitlin hesitated and stayed in the doorway. A pack of dogs was attacking the goat in the small grassed area in between the vegetable garden and where Scott kept the horses. The dogs were of large domestic breeds. They were rib-thin with mangy coats. And hungry. The nanny goat, tied to a star picket, couldn’t escape. The makeshift corral Scott had previously erected, confined the horses which ran wildly and escaped the dogs by kicking out at them. Scott aimed his gun for the dogs and tried to avoid the horses. Scruffy entered the fray. Scott’s attempts to miss all their animals slowed his efforts to defend them and himself from the dogs.
The largest dog grabbed a thick part of the sleeve of Scott’s jacket. Latching on, it skidded along the grass as Scott tried to shake it off. Its growls fluctuated with each thrust of Scott’s arm. Scruffy worried the larger dog, nipping at its heels, risking becoming its next victim.
Caitlin collected her throwing knives as she stepped out of the house. The goat was dead. Two dogs ran off with the decapitated corpse. The other dogs surrounded Scott, drawing closer to join their leader. The pack mentality of these dogs was in play. Scott was their target. One of them chased Scruffy away. Fast and agile, he avoided their savagery. Then he returned to protect his master.
Scott had fired the handgun. The dogs circled him while their alpha held on tight to his arm. The only light in the dark night came from the kitchen window. It illuminated a patch of the backyard. Scott was in the patch. Caitlin threw five knives in quick succession. She hit two dogs in the ribs. The one latched on to Scott’s arm got a knife in the hindquarters. This didn’t stop it. Caitlin’s next throw landed in its chest. This weakened it. Scott disengaged himself from its jaws and shot it at close quarters. A muffled yelp, and it was dead. With their pack-leader lifeless on the ground, the other dogs scattered. Scott sat heavily on the grass. Scruffy jumped to lick his face.
“I’m okay, boy.”
“Did the dog sink his teeth into you?” Fear cracked Caitlin’s voice. “Come into the house and let me examine you in the light.”
Due to the thickness of the jacket, the dog had sunk its teeth into the material, avoiding Scott’s arm. There were not any tooth puncture marks in Scott’s skin, but she made him rinse his arm thoroughly under running water for a few minutes, in case saliva was present. Then she wiped his arm with antiseptic. Caitlin put the jacket aside to wash.
“Frightened I’ll become rabid, lass?”
“Not funny, Scott.” She frowned. “So, domestic dogs go wild!”
“Aye, the smaller abandoned domestic dogs are usually killed by the bigger dogs. Then the pack mentality takes over. Not very long before ‘Spot’ becomes wolf like. I’ll have to make a more substantial shelter for the horses. One I can lock them in tonight.”
Scott returned to the backyard to settle the horses. The smell of the dead dogs spooked them. Caitlin had donned gloves, retrieved her knives and washed them in bleach. Blood was another vector for Rabies. She piled up the bodies to burn them.
“Oh! Poor baby.” She found the head of the nanny goat. “The goat died because we tied her up.” Our fault. “Poor baby might have survived otherwise.”
“Cait, do you actually think the wee goat would have survived those dogs even if she were free? No,” he let out a short laugh. “That nanny goat had nae chance, either way.” He peered at her. “There’s your maternal instinct surfacing.”
“What! I’m not maternal.”
“Aye, you are. You were braw with the bairns.” He grinned. “Ye loved mothering your wee ones.”
Again, another aspect of her character which he revealed to her, that was out of her current experience. It was slightly bizarre. She’d better get used to it. He was right—it surprised her how much he knew about her.
“I’m not convinced the dogs will return, but I want to err on the side of caution.” At once Scott started constructing a three-sided lean-to onto the back of the outhouse. Caitlin helped. They hurriedly built a rough temporary lean-to under kerosene lantern-light, using the wood he had prepared for construction. It was fully enclosed and lockable. They led the horses inside where it was snug, but they were safe.
They both washed themselves in the laundry before entering the cottage proper. As they did, Scott turned to her while she stood next to the door.
“Once again, my woman has saved me from harm. Thank you.” He put his arms around her waist and kissed her. Caitlin had her back to the wall, and he pressed her against it.
“Well, all those Chess games have paid off.” She commented once his lips left hers.
“Hmmm?”
“You have taught me the moves of all the pieces. Right?” she put her arms around his neck.
“Aye.” He looked down into her eyes, his focus intense.
“Chess mirrors life.”
“How so?” His blue eyes never left hers.
“Well, in Chess, as in life, the queen always protects her king, right?” She covered his mouth with hers and ran her fingers into his hair, gripping a handful, and kissed him firmly on the mouth.
Scott returned her kiss. They made urgent love against the wall, just inside the cottage, her love for him brimming up inside until it peaked. He lent close against her while they recovered. He kissed her neck. She held his head and ran her fingers through his waves. He lifted his head back to look her in the eye and grinned. She returned it.
“I wanted ye so badly, I couldn’t even wait till I got ye to bed. Look at us, I’m still fully clothed!” he whispered.
He kissed her again and carried her to their bed where she held him tight and snuggled into his warm side.
She could get used to this.
Scott already was.