Highland Solution (19 page)

“We don’t observe that tradition at Duncurra,” Katherine said coolly. Tomas had had more than enough beatings in his life. He didn’t need another one to fully understand the cruelty of men.

“I am glad to hear that, my lady,” said Father Colm. “It is a ridiculous custom and one that I don’t hold with, either.”

“Come now, Father, Katherine,” Malcolm said, “Some people think a child is destined to have bad luck if he doesn’t receive a few whacks in memory of the Holy Innocents.” Malcolm called to Niall, who was deep in conversation with Diarmad, “Niall, what’s this I hear about not beating children on Childermas?” Wide eyed with fear, Tomas slid off his chair, maneuvering very close to Katherine.

Katherine found Laird MacLennan’s satisfied smile, as well as the pleasure he appeared to derive from Tomas’ discomfort, very disturbing.

Before Niall could respond, Katherine, clearly very irritated, said, “Laird MacLennan, please cease this discussion now. No one will be beaten here, today or ever.”

“Katherine, dear, please calm down” said Niall, “I think Malcolm was just teasing.”

She didn’t think Malcolm was teasing and she knew Eithne wasn’t. She answered, “I apologize if I misunderstood you, Laird. Please understand, I don’t see the humor in beating a child or anyone else.” Katherine excused herself from the table, leaving the great hall with Tomas, who still looked terrified. She wanted to reassure him, so she took him to her room and sat with him by the fire.

“Why does Laird MacLennan want to beat me?”

She tried to explain Childermas and the reason for the custom, although it had always seemed absurd to her. “Tomas, it must have been a terrifying day when Herod murdered all the little boys in Bethlehem. Think how scared they must have been. There are people who think if children feel just a little of that fear and pain, they will remember the sacrifice of the Holy Innocents.”

“But ye don’t think so?”

“Nay. In fact, I think it may be easier to think about the Holy Innocents if we aren’t worried about ourselves, don’t ye?”

“Aye,” he agreed solemnly.

“Sweetheart, ye know I won’t let anyone hurt ye?”

“Aye, but what if someday ye aren’t near? I don’t like him. I don’t like Da’s mother, either.”

“I know, pet, some people are very hard to like,” Katherine agreed. “Sometimes it is just best to stay away from them.”

~ * ~

“Well, that was rude,” snapped Eithne, when Katherine left the hall.

Niall glared at Eithne and said to Malcolm, “I’m sure ye can understand, Malcolm, my wife is sensitive about the subject of beating.”

“Niall, I am so very sorry, how thoughtless of me. How could I have possibly forgotten? I should go and apologize to her.”

“That won’t be necessary, I’m sure she understood.” assured Niall. “I promised Tomas we would go out for a ride this afternoon. I will tell Katherine again that you intended no harm.”

Fingal watched the entire exchange dumbfounded. Katherine had nearly died in Malcolm’s keep. He understood his mother’s callousness, but Malcolm’s surprised him. Fingal found Niall’s calm acceptance of the situation extremely irritating as well. When was he going to wake up?

Eighteen

After the small upset on Childermas, the festivities continued until the Epiphany, which celebrated the visitation of the Magi. On this day, people exchanged gifts in commemoration of the Magi’s gifts to the Christ child. When Katherine and Niall woke that morning, before leaving their chambers, he gave her his gift. Katherine fingered the delicate silver filigree brooch, inlaid with small precious stones, reverently. “It is beautiful, Niall, thank you.” She attached her
airisaidh
around her shoulders with it. “I have a gift for ye, too,” she smiled, “but I can’t give it to ye today.”

“Why not?” He feigned disappointment.

“Because it isn’t ready yet.”

“When will it be ready?”

“Early August, I think.” Katherine grinned.

Niall looked at her in confusion until the meaning of what she said sank in. “Katherine, are ye with child?” he asked.

“I think so. I have all the signs. I am tired, cranky, and I feel sick half the time. When I missed my monthly courses in November, I thought maybe it was just from the upset over Eithne, but I have passed the time they are due in December now, too.”

Thrilled, Niall pulled her into his arms and kissed her. He couldn’t have been happier, the woman he loved was going to give him a child.
The woman he
loved
. In spite of everything preventing him from admitting it, he did love her, deeply and passionately. How could he have ever tried not to? Finally, he asked, “How long have ye known?”

“I have suspected it for a couple of weeks, but I spoke with Effie yesterday and she confirmed it. I wanted ye to know as soon as I did. But it’s still so early in my pregnancy, I was thinking perhaps we should not announce this news just yet. Maybe we could wait a little longer.”

“We will wait as long as ye wish, Katherine.”

~ * ~

After they attended Mass and broke their fast, Niall said to Tomas, “Are ye ready to see your gift now?” Tomas nodded eagerly. “Well, we will have to go outside to see it,” Niall said. Katherine laughed as Tomas grabbed her hand and dragged her to the door with them. Pulling their plaids over their heads to block the cold, Niall and Katherine led Tomas to the stable where he found his present, a sturdy Highland pony.

Tomas could barely contain himself. “Does he have a name?”

“Nay,” answered Katherine, “but your pony is not a ‘he’, ye will need to pick a lass’s name.”

He thought for a moment, looking very serious, “Then I want to call her Mab,” he finally said.

“Why Mab?” asked Niall.

“I think it’s a pretty name and Maura told me a story once about a fairy queen named Mab.”

“Then Mab it is,” said Katherine. Niall helped Tomas saddle the little pony, letting him ride in the courtyard. The tolerant pony seemed undaunted by Tomas’ youthful exuberance. Niall stayed close, giving Tomas instructions on how to hold the reins to control where the pony went. Niall had selected this pony carefully and, watching them together, Katherine knew he had made a good choice. Gentle enough to be safe, Mab also had enough pluck to be a worthy mount for an energetic lad.

As Katherine watched them, she remembered the pure joy she had felt when her father had given her Stormy. Giving Tomas the pony had been Niall’s idea, but she wholeheartedly agreed. In this moment, Katherine felt truly and completely happy. She did not want to break the spell, but she had responsibilities she could not ignore, and the wind also grew fierce and cold. “I am going to freeze solid if I stay out here any longer, besides there is still much to do.”

“Please, can I ride longer, Mama?” Tomas asked.

Niall answered, “We will let your mama go inside before she freezes, but ye can ride a few more minutes before we see Mab tucked in.”

Katherine walked over to give them each a kiss before she went inside. She whispered softly in Niall’s ear, “I think it would be a good idea for Tomas to have a rest this afternoon before the feast.”

Niall grinned and said, “That could be a challenge. I seem to remember unsuccessfully ordering his mother to ‘rest’ once.”

Katherine laughed. “Do what ye can.”

“Speaking of his mother resting, I know I cannot order ye to sleep, but I want ye to lie down, in bed, and close your eyes for a while this afternoon. The evening will be long for ye, too. Was that specific enough?”

“Aye, Laird,” she said, grinning at him. She turned to reenter the keep, thinking “a while” still left a lot of room for interpretation.

~ * ~

Much too excited to sleep, Tomas laid down on the bed that afternoon as his da had told him to do.
Only babies took naps.
He frowned and stared at the bed’s canopy, thinking about his new pony. Finally, he decided if he could just check on Mab one more time and make sure she didn’t need him, he could try to sleep then. He got out of bed and peeked out the chamber door into the hall, looking for anyone who might object. Seeing no one, he slipped very quietly into the corridor and down the stairs. He made it all the way past the second floor without meeting a soul, but before getting to the armory, he heard voices whispering at the bottom of the stairs. He crouched down so whoever was there wouldn’t see him, listening impatiently for them to leave. At first he couldn’t understand what they were saying, but as he listened more closely, he heard something that terrified him.

“Everything has been arranged as ye required. It can only end in Niall’s death this time, and Duncurra will finally be yours.”

“I am ready to be done with this mockery. I have pretended to be jovial and devoted for too long. I am just sorry I won’t be the one to kill him, part of me wants him to know it was me.”

As quietly as he could, Tomas slipped back up the stairs. He wanted to stop at his mother’s room, but afraid whoever was at the bottom of the stairs would hear him, he went to his own room and shut the door. He didn’t know what to do. They had been talking about killing his da. He needed to tell someone, but was so afraid of running into the bad people he couldn’t leave his room. He sat crouched by the fire for what seemed like hours when Fineen finally tapped on his door and entered. “Tomas, your mother sent me to bring ye down to the feast.”

“I need to talk to Mama,” he said.

“Well, come on then, she’s downstairs.” Tomas worried about the people in the stairwell, but if he was with Fineen he would be safe until he could talk to Da or Mama.

His parents sat at the head table, but Lady Eithne, who was sitting near Mama, scared him. He didn’t like Laird MacLennan either, but he was sitting near Da. Tomas would have to wait until he could talk to one of them alone.

He went to the table and his mama gave him a kiss, saying, “For someone who wasn’t tired, that was quite a nap.” Tomas just nodded, moving as close to her as possible. She cocked her head to one side, “Tomas, is everything all right?” He nodded again but didn’t speak.

“Do ye want to go sit with Uncle Fingal and have something to eat?”

“Katherine, you do not give children options. They should be told what to do and taught to obey,” Eithne scolded.

“Thank you, Eithne, we will have to disagree on that. Life is full of duties and obligations, I see no benefit in creating more where it isn’t necessary,” his mother said mildly, but he did not want to stay near Lady Eithne anyway. He backed away and ran to where Uncle Fingal sat.

Tomas had never experienced feasts and celebrations like the ones at Duncurra. He loved the little pies filled with shredded meat and spices. He had never had one before, but they had been served every evening since Christmas. Nevan had told him it was good luck to eat one on each of the twelve days, but Tomas wasn’t very hungry tonight.

On all of the other nights he didn’t want the fun to end, but now he was anxious for the celebration to be over. He needed to talk to Mama but every time he tried, there were too many people around. He remembered thinking he would just put his head on the table for a minute. He awoke the next morning snuggly tucked into his own bed.

Dressing quickly, he hurried downstairs, stopping to tap softly at his mother’s door but no one answered. He listened cautiously from the top of the stairs to the first floor to make sure the stairwell was empty before hurrying down to the great hall. Neither his parents nor Uncle Fingal were there, but thankfully, Lady MacIan and Laird MacLennan were absent as well. Father Colm sat at the table chatting with Diarmad, so Tomas went to them.

“Have ye seen my mama?” Tomas asked, climbing into a chair beside Diarmad.

“Not yet, Tomas,” answered Father Colm.

Diarmad added, “I saw your da before he went out hunting and he said ye might want me to take ye to ride your pony this morning. He motioned for a serving maid to bring a bowl of porridge to Tomas.

“I don’t know,” said Tomas feeling very worried. “I need to talk to my mama.” He ate his porridge with his brow still furrowed.

“Ye don’t know if ye want to go riding?” asked Diarmad. “Your da had to pry ye off that pony yesterday.”

“I want to ride Mab, but I really need to talk to Mama.”

“Is something bothering ye, lad?” asked Father Colm, looking concerned.

Tomas liked both Father Colm and Diarmad. He really needed to tell someone about what he had heard, but the people he overheard had whispered. Not being able to recognize their voices, Tomas didn’t know whom to trust. He didn’t think it could have been Diarmad or Father Colm, but he would feel much better talking to Mama. “Well, I—,” Tomas saw Lady MacIan and Laird MacLennan enter the great hall. Looking at Diarmad, he said, “I would like to ride my pony. Can we go now?”

~ * ~

That morning, Katherine slept much longer than she usually did. Between the late night and her pregnancy, she knew she probably needed the rest, but she felt guilty anyway. She hurried down to the great hall to find the castle servants well about the business of the day. Lady MacIan commented, “Katherine, dear, it is a wonder anything at all gets done around here with the lady of the castle sleeping half the day away.”

Father Colm laughed, saying, “Now, Lady MacIan, I would hardly say half the day is gone. Why, ye yourself have only just arisen.” Lady MacIan glared, but she said no more.

Grateful for the support, Katherine flashed the priest a quick smile. For once Eithne’s sharp tongue had actually given Katherine a valid reason to escape for a while instead of only the impotent desire to do so. “As I am getting a later start than usual today, I’m sure you will excuse me if I don’t join you for your morning meal. I have duties to attend.”

Katherine walked toward the kitchens followed by Father Colm, who asked, “Lady Katherine, do ye mind if I walk with ye? There is something I would like to discuss.”

“Not at all,” she answered.

Father Colm inclined his head toward Eithne and Malcolm and said, “Please excuse me.” After they exited the great hall he said, “Lady Katherine, your son seemed anxious about something this morning. He wanted to talk to ye. Diarmad and I tried to find out what was bothering him, but as soon as Laird MacLennan and Lady Eithne arrived, Tomas said no more. He has gone to the stables with Diarmad.”