Chapter Twelve

Katie continued to study the back of the horse’s head as if it was the most fascinating thing she’d ever seen. Anything to keep her from looking directly at Evan. She could deny there being any other reason, but she’d never been good at lying. If she didn’t have to look the other person in the face she might—just might—get away with it. But if he demanded she look at him, she would begin to fidget. Then her face would turn red, and then she would look heavenward, as if to ask for celestial assistance.

“I’m waiting, lass.”

She took a deep breath and faced him. “Aye. There is another reason. Richard Armstrong.”

She said no more, and eventually, with Evan staring her down, she glanced away.

“Who is Richard Armstrong, and why did ye leave yer home because of him? Do I have to drag the entire story out of ye? As yer laird, yer well-being is my business. If ye need protection of any sort, I need to ken.”

After all this time—and distance—she’d managed to push Richard and everything he’d threatened to the back of her mind. But there was no doubt the time would come when she needed to face that problem. ’Twas indeed better if she shared it now rather than after he left her to return to Argyll. Should Richard make good on his threat, he would show up here eventually.

“Richard is the neighbor to the north of our lands. He arrived at my front door a week after my da passed. He had a paper in his hand that stated he and I were betrothed.”

“I take it this was a surprise to ye?”

She nodded. “I must admit the signature on the paper was my da’s. But I honestly do not believe he would give me to that man.” She shuddered, which, of course, Evan noticed.

His lips tightened, and his grip on the horse’s reins stiffened. The tension in his body had his horse shifting, feeling the anger of its rider. “Continue.” No questions from him, only his request for her to continue.

“I dinnae want to marry the man. He’s vile.”

Evan leaned forward, the fire coming from his eyes a frightening sight. “Did he touch ye in any way? Did he harm ye?”

At first she didn’t understand what he meant, then when she realized he was referring to rape, she smiled, which had him looking both angry and confused. “Nay. That was never an issue.”

His brows rose to his hairline. “The mon showed up at yer door with a betrothal paper, and ye weren’t concerned he would violate ye?”

“Nay.”

“Must I drag the rest of the story from ye?”

Katie looked off into the distance, not wanting to face him with her words. “Richard prefers the affections of young lads.”

Evan sucked in a breath. “Yer brother.”

“Aye.”

Nothing was said for a few minutes, just the far off sound of small animals scurrying about and birds overhead, searching for food. The soft wind blew in her face, and just the words spewing forth after holding them in all these months calmed her.

“Do ye have reason to believe he will follow ye here?”

“At first I dinnae think so. I told myself he wouldn’t make such a trip, but I don’t know for sure.” She twisted in the saddle and looked at Evan. “Ye see, Richard dinnae like to be thwarted. With the paper supposedly signed by my da, he feels he has the right to come after me and drag me back to Stirlingshire.”

“Ye and yer wee brother.”

“Aye.”

Evan ran his hand through his hair. “Even if the betrothal was signed by yer da, which I doubt, given what ye just told me about the mon, those things can be broken.”

“If he accepts that. I hate to say this because it embarrasses me so much, but he’s had his eye on Gavin for a couple of years. I think da being alive, even though he was absent a great deal of the time, kept him from doing what he wanted with the lad.”

“Ye have nothing to be embarrassed about, lass. ’Tis the mon’s shame, not yers.”

“What can I do?” It amazed her how quickly she’d grown to rely on Evan. Aye, he was her laird, and based on his actions so far, he was a caring man and a staunch leader of people. But she felt a certain connection to him that she’d never felt before with any man.

“’Tis my problem now. If the mon thinks he has a strong reason to fetch ye back home, he will come through the front door with his paper in hand. We will rely on that for now. But with all the others arriving from yer clan, he could easily slip in if he feels ye might naysay him. ’Twill be best if ye set up some method to check everyone arriving from yer clan.”

“Aye. That’s a good idea. I can have Colum and Meggie stay by the door. The rest should be arriving soon.”

Evan reached out and touched her hand. “Ye have nothing to fear. I will protect ye and yer brother.”

Katie felt as though a huge burden had been lifted from her shoulders. Evan moved his hand from hers and cupped her face. “I won’t let any harm come to ye. Do ye trust me?”

She licked her suddenly dry lips and nodded. “Aye. I trust ye.”

“Good. Let’s return to the castle so ye can speak with Colum and Meggie.”

They turned their horses and made their way back, the sun a bit brighter, the air a bit sweeter, and her heart a bit lighter.

They were greeted by a group of people that Katie recognized as her clansmen. She smiled at Evan as he helped her from the horse. “’Tis Riley and Michael and their families.”

“I’m thinking we should send one of the men out to ask among the tenants and farmers if they ken of any empty cottages. Our visits are taking a bit longer than I had planned, and we cannot keep putting people in the castle.”

“Aye. I agree.” Katie hurried into the castle, hugging and welcoming the new families. All the little ones were crying and the older ones racing around, happy to have the long journey behind them. Evan trailed behind her, but after asking for Colum and Meggie to join him in the library, he made a quick escape.

Katie stood on the front step, addressing the group. “We’re still trying to find cottages for all of ye. Until then, ye can stay with us here in the castle.”

“Nay, Mistress. No need for that. Just point us to a piece of land, and Riley and I will put up our own cottage.”

“But the little ones? It will take ye a while to build something. It might rain.”

Hannah, Riley’s wife, looked up at her husband, her hands fisted at her waist. He was a giant of a man, and she a wee lass of no more than five feet. Yet she’d always stood up to the man, much to the delight of the other clansmen. “What are ye thinking, ye numbskull? The wee ones have been sleeping outside for weeks. They need a warm bed and some decent food. If ye and ye fool brother want to build yer own cottage, go ahead; Marilea and I will stay here with the bairns.”

“I think that’s a good idea, Riley,” Katie said. “The little ones look a bit tired.” All five of them turned to watch the children race around the area, run up and down the stairs, and slide down the bannister, screaming and yelling with delight.

“Aye, Mistress. They do look a bit worn out.” Michael smirked at her and reached out to snatch one of his bairns by the neck of his shirt. “Stop yer blasted running around, or I will take a switch to ye.”

…

Evan closed the door to the library, thinking the Battle of Culloden had been quieter than the crowd at the entrance hall. If they didn’t find cottages for these people soon, he would be forced to sleep in the stables. Which, given the chaos, might not be a bad idea.

The door opened and Colum and Meggie stepped into the room. “Ye sent for us, my laird?”

“Aye.” He waved to the chairs across from him. “Sit. I have an assignment for ye.” He rose and placed his hands behind his back and began to pace. Something that oftentimes helped him put his thoughts into words. ”Ye are both familiar with Richard Armstrong? He thinks he is betrothed to Mistress Stirling?”

“Aye,” Meggie snapped. “The mon is a monster. He tried to convince my mistress that she was betrothed to him. Her da would never have agreed to a marriage with that vile man.”

“That is what Mistress Stirling said. Ye believe her?”

“Aye! She wouldn’t lie about that.” Meggie shifted in her chair in her agitation. “Her da was a neglectful man in some ways, but he kenned that Richard was an evil man. A devil’s spawn, to be certain.” Meggie looked over at Colum, who nodded his agreement.

“Verra well; then this is what I want ye to do. Once this Richard discovers that Katie—er, Mistress Stirling—has left, it probably won’t take too much effort on his part to find out where she was headed. If he follows her, I want to ken the minute he arrives. Since the two of ye are familiar with the mon, I’m charging ye with the job of watching for him. He is not to get anywhere near Mistress Stirling or her brother. Do ye understand?”

Meggie and Colum glanced at each other and nodded. He wasn’t certain if they kenned about Richard’s preference for young lads, but he guessed from the look they shared that they did. “Ye are to summon me immediately and send word to Mistress Stirling to find her brother and wait in her bedchamber until I send for her.”

“Aye,” Colum and Meggie replied at once.

“That’s all. I’d like ye to start now. If this mon does arrive, I want to see him right away.”

The two left the library, and Evan sat and thought for a few minutes. Then, determination in his steps, he left the room and grabbed Meggie’s arm. “Do ye ken where wee Gavin is?”

“Most likely in his bedchamber. He’s sharing one with Mistress.”

God’s toes! The lad would never become a mon with Katie treating him like a wee bairn barely out of nappies. “Nay. That won’t do. Have ye set up a room for all the wee ones to sleep together?”

“Aye, but Mistress Katie told me to put Gavin in her room.” Meggie looked a wee bit nervous, twisting her hands. Apparently, when it came to the lad, Katie was adamant about her wishes for him. That would change. As long as Gavin lived under his roof, he would act like a lad and not a bairn.

He spread his feet apart and crossed his arms over his chest. “I am instructing you to move Gavin from her room into the nursery, or wherever all the other bairns are.”

The lass’s nervousness increased. “She won’t like that, my laird.”

“No matter. ’Tis my decision. In the meantime, summon the lad and tell him to meet me in the stables.”

“Gavin? To the stables, my laird? The lad is not fond of horses.” He had to give the lass credit. Despite the authority he wielded over the clan, she stood up for what her mistress wanted. ’Twas good to have much loyalty in a servant, but her loyalty should revert to him. ’Twas the way things worked, and that was that.

“Aye, the stables.” With those words, he left the noise and confusion behind and headed down the path to the stables, dodging more of Katie’s arriving clansmen.

About a half hour later, when he was about to go back to the castle and drag young Gavin out of his bedchamber where he was most likely hiding, the lad arrived. His eyes were as big as saucers, and he dragged his feet—’twas almost as if he were facing his executioner. Attempting to ease the lad, Evan knelt in front of him and put his hand out.

The lad stared at his hand until Evan said, “Put yer hand out and shake my hand. ’Tis what a mon does.”

“I’m not yet a man.” The whispered words barely reached Evan’s ears. His pinched face and flushed cheeks declared his nervousness. He seemed to be a bright boy, and his fine looks, delicate build, and timid manner were probably what appealed to the monster who wanted him.

“Aye, ’tis true ye are not yet a mon. How old are ye?”

He looked up, then back down again. “Ten years, my laird.”

“Well, ye won’t be a mon if you dinnae learn how to be one. Now, shake my hand.”

The boy took his hand, light as a feather, only giving him the tips of his fingers. “Nay, that’s not how ye do it, lad. Like this.” Evan shoved his hand into the boy’s and gave him a firm shake. “Ye ken?”

To Evan’s amazement, the lad smiled. “Aye. I ken.”

Evan stood and placed his hand on his head. “Do ye ride, Gavin?”

He shook his head. “Nay. Katie said she would teach me one day, but she was always busy.” He eyed the horses warily. “I’m not too keen on riding, my laird.”

“Would ye like to learn?”

He shuffled his feet for a bit, then said, “Aye.” His word lacked enthusiasm, which Evan found unusual in a lad. Most were anxious to jump on a horse. Gavin turned to look at the horses in the stalls behind them. “But they’re so big.”

“We can find ye one that isn’t so big.” He laid his hand on the lad’s shoulder. “Come, let’s take a look.”

They visited with a few horses until MacDuff led them to a smaller horse—an older, well-worn mare. Gavin was even able to pet the horse without shying back. “This is good, MacDuff, saddle it for the lad, and I’ll tack my own horse.”

Once the horses were ready, Evan showed Gavin how to hold the reins and walk the animal out of the stable. After a few awkward steps, the boy managed to bring the animal out into the light.

Evan looked up at the lass stomping down the pathway to the stables. Mistress Katie was all fire and righteous indignation. She held her skirts up so she could move as quickly as possible. She stopped not three feet from Evan.

“And who gave ye permission to teach my brother how to ride a horse?”