Laird of the Mist (21 page)

―Cat? What are ye doing up here, lass?‖ Carrick put his arms up to help Cat alight from Solas. The patient mare stood quietly grazing, while Carrick helped her down to the ground beside him.
―I‘ve brought ye some lunch, husband,‖ she answered with a bright smile and shook out her skirts. ―I have a wee bit of news for ye, and I thought I‘d bring ye food while I delivered it.‖ She reached back into the saddlebag for a cloth bag that contained their noon meal. She drew out a woolen blanket and tucked it under her arm before turning back to Carrick.
―Let‘s find a shady spot away from the malting house. I would have a thing to say to ye, if ye can spare the time.‖
‖Always time for ye, Cat. There‘s a nice place over there, under the firs. Go on,and I‘ll just tell Geordie to take the noon break now, aye?‖
Cat went to the place he had designated and laid out the blanket and food. When all was ready, she lowered herself to the blanket, soft and inviting with the sweet-smelling grass underneath. She laid slices of cheese and bread on the linen napkins she had brought, and smiled again as Carrick came to join her.
―The malting‘s nearly done,‖ Carrick informed her as he sat on the blanket and picked up the bread and cheese. ―Mash will be next. Ye came at a good time, Cat. The men were getting hungry with the hot work.‖He tookabite and looked more closelyat her. ―Yeseem extrahappythis day. Thenews must be good, aye?‖
―Aye, it is,‖ she said coyly, casting a sideways lookat him. ―At least, I hope you will think so.‖
―If it makes ye happy, Cat, then I am glad of it. Now, tell me. What could be so important as to bring ye this far up the glen?‖
―Well…‖ she began, taking his hand in hers. ―Ye‘re to be a papa, Carrick. Grandda just confirmed it this morning. In about fivemonth‘s time.‖ Her face radiated joy and light.
Carrick put down his food and swallowedhard. ―Are ye sure?‖ he croaked. His eyes misted and a glow suffused him. ―Are ye quitesure, Cat?‖ He ran his free hand through his auburn hair, as if thinking it through.
―I hope ye are as happy as I about it, Carrick.‖
Carrick rose quickly with a grace belying his stature. He pulled Cat tightly into his arms and held her. ―Beyond happy, Caitriona. A dream come true, to be sure. I never thought—‖
―Ye never thought?‖ She pulled back to look into his proud face. ―Because of when I was Jenny?‖
―I suppose…summat like that. It just never occurred to me. It just doesna seem real.‖
―Well, it is verrareal.‖ Cat laughed and hugged him hard. ―It‘s the best thing ever, Carrick! We will name him after ye!‖
―Me?‖ The thought seemed to stun him. ―A son? But we dinna ken what it will be. Any road, it is an enormous responsibility and oh…‖ A shadow crossed his face.
―What is it?‖ Cat stepped back and grabbed his arm in alarm. ―What is it, Carrick?‖
―I was just thinking—the poor bairn will be coming into verra bad times,no?‖ Cat could feel a small shiver rake down his body.
―Aye, perhaps,‖ she agreed. ―But we arena without resources, Carrick. We will raise a fine family no matter. I ken ye‘d never let anything happen to us. Ever.‖
Carrick‘s face brightened a little and he assumed a stronger countenance. ―Aye, ye‘re right, Cat. I would defend and protect ye all to my last. I promise ye. I swear it to ye and the coming bairn.‖
Cat threw her arms around his neck and whispered, ―Ye always have done, my love. And ye always will.‖

―Is the tea to yer liking, Lady Cat?‖ Mary stood near Cat‘s chair, awaiting her verdict. She had become a loyal and protective member of the household since Cat and Carrick had given Mary and her family a home at Ben Fhithich. Carrick had even attempted, under the legal Laird Ian‘s signature, an appeal to obtain her Duncan‘s release from Fort Augustus. They had had no word as yet.

―Quite nice, Mary. Idon‘t k now how ye do it. Ihavenamastered the makingoftea,‖Cat replied as she put the cup back into its saucer. ―Go, now, Mary. Get some rest. We‘ll be fine, right Carrick?‖
Carrick looked up from thebook he was reading by the fire. ―Aye, Mary. Go see to yer bairns—‖ He was cut short by the sound of the great front door slamming shut and quick footsteps coming toward the parlor. ―What the…?‖
―Hello, Carrick,‖ crooned a rumpled Fiona from the doorway. ―Long time—
―Not long enough, Fiona. Do ye no have the good manners to knock before ye enter aperson‘s house?‖ Carrick rose and tossed the book into his vacant chair. Then to Mary, ―Go on to your bairns then, lass.‖
Mary began to step past Fiona who blocked her exit. ―And you must be the wretched woman whom the gracious Laird saved fromthose nasty English soldiers.‖ Fiona was enjoying taunting the woman. ―And your husband in prison, too. Well, you heard the Laird. Go see to your poor children. Who knows how soon they will be fatherless, after all?‖ Fiona stepped out of Mary‘s way and let her pass.
―That was not necessary or kind, Fiona,‖ Carrick grumbled at her, barely containing his temper. ―Must ye always play the predator? Oh,aye, I forgot to whom I was speaking…‖ He took a few steps toward Fiona, who brushed past him and plopped herself down on the sofa.
―I‘ve come to tell you that I will leave soon,‖ she announced, looking Cat in the eye for a reaction.
―Ye‘releaving?‖Cat said evenly. ―When? Whereare ye going? Not that Icare, onlythat ye‘ll be gone and away from here. None too soon, I might add.‖
Fiona gave a hearty laugh and picked up a biscuit from the plate on the table. ―I am engaged to be married in two weeks time in Inverness. To an English Lord, I might add. I will not return here after that. I will leave next week. Oh,yes,‖ she stopped and cocked her head at Cat. ―Isn‘t Olivia‘s wedding this coming Saturday? Well, I shallleave on the Sunday then.‖ She sat back and took a bite of her biscuit.
―I am quite sure, Fiona, that if ye care to leave sooner, Olivia wouldna be offended by yer absence,‖ Cat spat at her.
Fiona rose with a flounceand started toward the door. ―Don‘t worry, Caitriona. I will see to my motherly duties before I go.‖
Halfway out the doorshe turned to glance back at Carrick. ―I hear you have an heir coming, Carrick. Well, good for you,‖ she said with a smirk. ―You are a man, after all.See you at the wedding!‖ Her voice trailed away along with the clicking of her heels on the floorboards as she let herself out and was gone.
―She‘s going to marry an English Lord?‖ Cat said to Carrick from where she sat, straight as a pole in indignation and shock. ―Now she‘s even more dangerous to us!‖ she cried in sudden realization.
Carrick hurried to her side and knelt beside her. ―Dinna worry yerself, Cat. She canna harm us. I will see to it. I shouldha put a watch on her when she went to Inverness.‖ He slapped his knee in consternation. ―What was I thinking?‖
Cat put a hand on his shoulder in reassurance. ―Ye couldna possibly guess, Carrick. As long as she is gone from here, she canna do more injury. Just make certain she does go, aye?‖
―Even if I have to take her to Inverness myself,‖ he agreed.
It was going to be a very long week.

―Aye,‖ Carrick answered, a heavy tone in his voice as he shrugged off the trewes and pulled on a drawstring pajama pant—his muscled chest left bare in the late summer‘s eve. ―I had news I had to tend to.‖ He sounded as though he was burdened with something and wanted to talk.

―What news?‖ Cat asked as she put her feet over the side of the bed. She need ed to wake a bit more in order to be attentive. ―What happened?‖
―Ye recall Robbie Colson? The crofter who violated the stalking rules? I spoke with him a time ago and gave himwarning?‖ C arrick sat down beside her. ―I had news tonight that he was seen in Inverness selling Beinn Fhithich venison to the garrison at Fort Augustus. There were several witnesses to the deed.‖ His voice began to rise in anger mixed with betrayal and sorrow. ―I‘ll no have it, Cat. He compromises the estate and everyone on it.‖
Carrick shook his head wearily. ―I must evict him now. He‘s left me no choice.‖ He softened his tone and hung his head. ―He has a family, Cat…‖
Cat let out a long breath and laid her hand on top of Carrick‘s ―If ye evict him, well, do ye think he will do somethingvengeful? Like go to theEnglish and tell them ye‘realive? He could cause ye trouble there, Carrick. Ye could be arrested.‖
Carrick shook his head wearily. ―Aye, he could. But I‘d rather me arrested than endanger the rest of the folk here. Any road, he will do as he likes, regardless I evict him or no. It must stop. Aye, I have thought it through.‖
Cat understood his sense of responsibility toward the people he cared for. She could not argue his point. At last, she said, ―It will be all right then, love. Ye do what ye must. Ye canna allow one man‘s greed to put the rest in jeopardy. Ye‘re a good laird,Carrick. Good and honorable. He is responsible to his own family, and you to yer own. Ye did give him warning, after all,‖ she encouraged.
―True. All of it.‖Carrick gaveher asmall smile and layback on the bed, pullingher down next to him. ―Let‘s get some rest, aye? ‗Twill be a long day tomorrow what with the wedding.‖
―Aye,‖ she said, brushing a lock of his hair from his forehead. ―I only pray it is a peaceful one.‖

―‘Twas a beautiful ceremony, Olivia,‖ Cat kissed her sister on the cheek as she handed her a glass of ale. The ceremony had just ended and the reception was about to begin. It was a scene reminiscent of the
ceidhli
with only minor changes.

An arbor had been set up at the front of the gathering. Olivia had twined Hawthorne and various flowers though it—one of her ―modern ideas,‖ as Molly referred to them.
―Really, Cat?‖ Olivia chirped. ―Did ye like it? Oh, Cat! I am so happy! I did think it was beautiful.‖ Her eyes were filling with tears again and Cat quickly reached for the handkerchief she kept in her sleeve.
―Here, sprite,‖ she offered it to Olivia. ―Dab yer yes. Dab, not wipe, or ye‘ll ruin that expensive mascara Carrick brought ye from Inverness.‖
―Aye,‖ Olivia agreed, carefullydabbing. ―Thank ye for all yer help and for standing up for us. Ye and Carrick are the verrabest.‖
―I‘m proud of ye, Olivia,‖ Cat answered, raisingher tumbler of juice. ―To ye and Ian. Long and happy lives together.‖
Olivia took a sip and gently pushed an edge of her ivory lace veil off her shoulder. ―I hate to jinx this, but wasna Fiona supposed to be here?‖ she asked, searching the crowd.
―Aye,‖ Cat answered, straightening the flower wreath on her sister‘shead. ―She sent a note this morning that she has taken ‗seriously ill.‘ Whatever that means.‖
―Well, what it does mean is that she willna be here, causing her usual grief. Ah, here‘s Carrick. I should go and find Ian. If ye dinna mind, Cat.‖
―Not at all. Go. Find yer husband.‖ Cat smiled lovingly at her as she walked away amid the well-wishers.
A beautiful bride, indeed. The sprite did it right for once, thank God.
―I gave Father MacMurichthe donation ye asked, Cat,‖ Carrick said when he came to stand beside her. ―And yer wee sister did nothing amiss this time. Yer granddawill be relieved.‖
Yer mother, too,‖ Cat put in. ―Poor Molly was a wreck worrying what else Olivia would ask for. Having no idea what our time is like, she could only imagine. And mind ye, yer mother has a large imaginationas to what would come next.‖
―She must be feeling better then,‖ Carrick agreed. ―Speaking of mothers. Fiona is ill, is she?‖
―Aye. So her note said… Oh, look. Grandda is about to lead Olivia for the first dance. I really do wish I had a camera.‖ Cat sighed wistfully.
―Come then,‖ Carrick took her tumbler and set it down on one of the tables. Taking her hand, he said, ―Let‘s join them.‖
They watched as Hamish led Olivia around the makeshift dance floor for the few measures of a waltz, not dissimilar to the St. Bernard‘s Waltz that had brought Cat and Carrick together so long ago in Florida.
When they finished the waltz, Olivia nodded to Cat, who went to stand in front of the musicians. She lifted her violin as the singer, a tall, dark-haired man from one of the crofts, joined her. Cat had worked hard teaching him the song Olivia had chosen from 2010 entitled
Celtic Girl
.
She struck up the initial notes and the man‘s lovely voice rang out:
When you come to the end of your day
“nd you can't think of anyone to save your live
That could pull you through the big bad world
Then the chance is you never met a Celtic Girl
―Woo hoo!‖ Ian yelped as he grabbed his new wife by the hand and pulled her to the dance floor where the two broke into an improvised country dance strathspey. Laughing together, Ian sang along,
If you see a freckled face in your mind
And you just can't shake it cause you been daydreamin'
Of a head that's covered in curls
And the twinkle-eyed beauty of a Celtic Girl.
Soon, Carrick was singing along, too. as he gazed at Cat who was playing so hard that the strings on her bow were snapping and flying in the air.
If she walks with the devil in her gait
And she'll dance for hours while her young man waits
And she tears when the bagpipes skirl
Then you know that you found yourself a Celtic Girl.
When you come to the end of your day
And you can't find anyone to save your life
Who can pull you through this big bad world
Then you know you better find yourself a Celtic Girl.
Everyone joined in the dance, including Hamish and Molly, laughing as they whirled under the canopy of arms held above them. When the music ended, a loud burst of applause, hoots, whistles, and yelps arose, engulfing every soul in the joy and merriment of the occasion. Hamish bowed to Molly gallantly, and Carrick beamed with pride at Cat. She bowed graciously and secured the violin in its case. She would play again later. But she was becoming hungry and the smell of venison was calling to her.
Carrick pulled out a chair for her as she set her plate on the table. ―Thank ye,‖ she said to him and focused on Molly. ―I saw the two of ye dancing out there. Very spritely, ye were.‖
Molly blushed a bit and nodded, her eyes lowered under her lashes. ―Aye. ‗Tis been a time since I danced.‗ Twas kind of Hamish to ask me.‖
―And ye danced it well, too, lass,‖ Hamish put in. ―It was—―
―Are ye Hamish MacAllan?‖ the boy interrupted at his side. ―The
doctor
MacAllan?‖ He was a freckled teenager, not more than fifteen. He nervously extended a folded paper to Hamish. ―For ye, sir.‖
Hamish took the note, a puzzled look on his face. ―What the…?‖ He unfolded the paper and read it quickly. ―From Fiona,‖ he said at last. ―She is worse and requests that I come to her. Now.‖ He turned to the boy who seemed to be waiting for a response.
―She is worse? Ye are her page, areye no?‖
―Aye to both, sir.‖ The boy nodded vigorously.
―Well, then.‖ Hamish put his napkin on the table and rose. ―Tell her I will be there forthwith.‖
He turned to the others and leaned over the back of hischair. ―I will just get my bag and go. Hopefully, it will be nothing and I will return directly.‖
―Grandda!‖ Cat exclaimed. ―She is just trying to spoil the wedding for everyone. She found a way to do it and it gets her the attention she wants. I think yeshould stay. Surely she can‘t be that ill.‖
―No, Cat,‖ Hamish admonished. ―I have a feeling about this. I will return as soon as I can.‖
Cat sighed in exasperation. ―Well I hope yeget back in time to see Olivia cut the cake.‖
―Aye, I will try.‖ He turned to the boywho was waitingfor him. ―Lead on, lad. I am right behind ye.‖