Medieval Highlands 01 - Highland Vengeance (37 page)

Alleck and Niall stood under their favorite tree in the village. “They will not let me go near the forest and the magic giant may be really hungry. Take this to the boulder where we left the other bag…please?” Alleck held out the satchel.

Niall kicked the toe of his shoe against the ground, his head bent. He shrugged. “I do not think my mama will let me go there, either. Your mama told her that she was afraid the giant might be a foul man wantin’ to hurt us.”

“But your mama is not going to notice if you take the food early, like we did the last time—and you know the giant’s not bad. My mama and everybody have been watching me to make sure I do not sneak out. I do not think they’ve been watching you.” His voice turned pleading. “Do you not want to make sure the giant does not starve to death?”

“I…I
have
been worryin’ about the Giant. And since the
Boabhan Sith
does not seem to be around to drink my blood, surely I can make it there and back without anyone catching me.” He threw his shoulders back. “Aye, I’ll do it.”

The food was delivered the next morn, but the coin was not found until the day after—inside Niall’s shoe. Neither lad told their elders about the discovery for fear of revealing that they’d disobeyed their parents’ wishes.

*

The next morn, Maryn followed a distance behind Callum as he rode toward the forest. She’d seen him leaving through the gate and, thinking he was riding the glen, had thought to join him. She’d quickly saddled Fia and rode out at a pace to catch up with him, but when she saw the direction in which he was headed, had decided to find out his purpose before making him aware of her presence. There was a certain stealth in his manner that pricked her curiosity. Could he be hunting the “magic giant”?

A sennight had passed since Daniel’s decree that she not leave the keep unescorted and Maryn had complied. Until this morn. Of course, she would eventually catch up with Callum, but for now she felt safe enough. After all, she had her slingshot and her dirk, and Callum was close enough to her to hear her if she screamed.

As he went deeper into the forest, she realized that he was not searching for the giant, but purposely making his way toward a destination. He picked his way over some fallen logs and a small flowing burn before stopping in front of the mouth of a cave in the side of a limestone knoll covered in moss and heath.

Keeping far enough back to stay hidden, she tethered Fia and silently made her way closer. He dismounted and she hid behind a tree. She’d visited these woods almost as often as Callum had. How had she never noticed this cave before? Of course, she mused, this area of the wood was not the best hunting ground for rabbits, and that was most often her goal for coming here.

After lighting the lamp that he’d brought with him, Callum disappeared into the cave. She debated whether to follow him and was just about to do so, when he reappeared with a leather pouch in his hand. He sat on the trunk of a fallen tree, then opened the pouch and drew out two smaller ones. Arranging the larger pouch over his thighs and placing one of the smaller ones on top of it, he opened the other and brought out a beautiful black silk cloth with large red symbols woven throughout.

Her brows lifted in interest. The symbols looked similar to the ones she’d seen on Alleck’s coins. Where on earth had Callum gotten such a piece—and why had he hidden it in the cave? A suspicion entered her mind, but she immediately quelled it, deciding to wait for further proof.

He continued to regard the silk a moment more, running the soft material through his fingers. After a moment, he folded the cloth and tucked it back in its pouch. Opening the second pouch, he lifted it and poured out the contents into his palm.

Her eyes bugged in surprise and she only just managed to keep from gasping aloud. For there in his hand, sparkling in the dappled sunlight, were dozens of the small coins like the ones that Alleck had been given, In the next instant, he dropped them back through the open neck of the bag.

Maryn shot out from behind the tree. “’Tis you!”

He started and half rose to his feet, but then settled back with a lazy smile when he saw ‘twas her. “G’day, lovely Maryn. You are the height of slyness, as always.”

“You are Alleck’s magic giant!” Why have you not confessed? Surely ‘twould only help your cause with the lad if he knew from whom he’d been receiving the coins.”

The look he gave her was piercing. “You followed me?”

Maryn nodded, but stood her ground.

“Nay, I am not the ‘magic giant’ of Alleck’s tales. These coins and the piece of silk were given to me by my uncle, Jamison Maclean, prior to his rampage. I hid them in the cave as a lad after I heard of his deed, not wanting my parents to find out from whom I’d received the coins. I had forgotten of their existence until Alleck’s pieces reminded me of them.” Looking down at the items, he shrugged and placed both of the smaller pouches back into the larger one. “I simply wondered if this ‘giant’ had found my hiding place and the coins, but there were none missing.” Rising to his feet, he said, “The cave is the best place for these, as they’ve clearly not been found in all these years.” He turned and walked back into the cave.

It was all Maryn could do not to follow him and find out where he hid the gift from his devil uncle, but her conscience won out as ‘twas not her secret to know.

When Callum returned a few moments later, he had the lamp with him. He strolled over to his stallion, and after attaching the light to his saddle, mounted and turned back toward her. “We should leave, I wish not to be on the wrong side of my cousin’s wrath.”

With a nod, Maryn turned and made her way towards Fia. After mounting and coming up beside him, she said, “I should have known you were not Alleck’s ‘magic giant,’ I’d forgotten that Alleck described him as having black hair and upturned eyes. You look naught like that, of course.”

Callum’s gaze turned pensive. “How odd. My uncle had a slave that had similar looks. He was only about nine, mayhap ten summers when I met him. I’d never seen anyone like him before, nor have I since.”

“Was he from Jerusalem, then?”

“My uncle said that the lad’s mother was from Cathay, a place that is as many or more miles northeast of Jerusalem as we are northwest. She’d been from a noble family, but had been captured and enslaved when she and her retinue were ambushed by thieves. He bought her from slave traders in the market of the city.”

They’d just crossed the burn when Fia stumbled slightly at a slippery place on its edge. Maryn kept her seat as the mare regained her balance. Patting the mare’s neck, she asked, “Where was the lad’s mother? Did your uncle leave her in Jerusalem?” She thought that a cruel thing to do, forcing the bairn away from his mother, but certainly believed Daniel’s father capable of such cruelty.

“The lad’s mother was dead.” Callum shrugged. “I was not told how she died.”

“Do you think this ‘magic giant’ could be the lad you met so many years ago?”

He was silent a moment. “Nay,” he said finally, “‘twould be impossible. How would he have survived on his own? And, as I recall, there was a babe he nurtured as well—some bairn of one of the camp followers that had died. In any case, what would be his purpose in returning here? I think it more likely that Alleck has contrived this magical creature in his head.” Sweeping his hand out in a wide arc, he continued, “There are no signs of any human habitance anywhere in these woods. I’ve certainly seen none, at least—and I
have
searched, several times in fact. Remember, I’m as familiar with the Maclean wood as I am with my own battle scars.”

Maryn looked around, endeavoring to see any clues that the others may have missed. After a moment she replied, “Nay, neither have I. I fear you are not wrong. I do wonder how Alleck is getting the coins, however.”

“I’m sure ‘twill all be revealed in time. For now, at least we know they were not obtained from my own collection.” Callum pulled on his reins and stopped. Maryn followed suit and turned in her saddle to face him, a question in her countenance.

“I think it not a good idea to tell my cousin of my gift from his father. ‘Twould only remind him of the horror my uncle committed against his family, and surely ‘tis not your desire to do such.”

Maryn thought of the nightmares that Daniel experienced occasionally, convinced they were related to his anguish as a youth. Aye, ‘twould only bring back painful memories for her husband and the knowledge of the coins would not serve any known purpose. “Nay, I do not wish for my husband to suffer. I’ll not tell him.”

*

A fortnight later a horrible gagging sound awakened Daniel. He rolled to his side and looked in the direction of the noise. The dim light of dawn that crept across the room allowed him to see his wife standing over the wash basin. His suspicions were now confirmed. His seed had found purchase. A sleepy grin crossed his face as his eyes made a slow trip down to her waist.

Rising from the bed, he went to get some gingerroot from his healer’s box. He noticed the retching sounds were waning, but the ginger would keep her stomach settled, at least long enough for them to have their talk.

*

Maryn thought she was going to die. This was the third morn in a row that she’d awakened with this terrible sickness, only this morn it was far worse. A cold sweat had broken out on her skin and she was sure she must have caught a fever. She poured fresh water into a cup and rinsed her mouth out before swallowing down a few mouthfuls. Taking a sprig of mint from the herbal bouquet on the washstand, she chewed the leaves to freshen her breath.

Stumbling back to the bed, she fell face down with her arms outstretched. She had not realized Daniel had gotten up until she felt the empty space beside her, but her stomach still churned too badly for her to lift her head to see where he had gone.

*

Daniel brought the sliver of gingerroot to her, as he had the past two morns. “Here, my love, chew on this,” he said, opening her lax jaw and placing it on her tongue. He sat down next to her then and rubbed her back. “If you’ll turn over, I’ll rub your belly; ‘twill help ease the sickness.”

“I cannot,” she said between chews. “Just allow me to die in peace; I give you leave to wed Jesslyn, if she’ll still have you.”

A smile tugged at the corner of Daniel’s mouth, but his voice remained serious. “And let my son die? Even if I were inclined to leave you to the buzzards, I certainly would never do so while you carried my progeny.”

Daniel mentally counted down the seconds, waiting for his wife’s reaction to both his teasing and his message. When she was still quiet after the fifth count, he stroked the hair away from her cheek. Had she fallen asleep again so quickly? He leaned forward. Seeing the expression of wonder that lit her now pink-cheeked countenance, he grinned broadly. Aye, she understood.

He could not help it, he leaned down and kissed her gaping mouth. “My thanks,” he murmured against her lips. And then, with much more reverence, he kissed them again.

*

A crisp, misty morn greeted Maryn as she walked out the door of the keep heading for Jesslyn’s cottage an hour later. She was set on bringing her friend and Lady Maclean together. A moon into the betrothal, and the ladies had yet to become friends.

But the time was “ripe” for the gathering and Maryn had just the enticement to garner their “yield.” She giggled at her mental wordplay, feeling light-hearted and blessed.

As she walked, she daydreamed of all that needed doing in the coming moons—with Jesslyn’s and Grandmother Maclean’s assistance, of course. Daniel was sure she was giving him a son, and Maryn believed him. After all, he
was
the one that had told her she was carrying; mayhap he
did
know how to tell the sex before the babe was born.

As she passed one of the alewives’ house, a man came out, his head bent as he dusted soot off his sleeve and called a farewell to the alewife. Maryn’s heart leapt into her throat and she swung her gaze in that direction, for she knew the voice: ‘twas that of the horse marshal she’d tricked!
He’s supposed to be miles from here!
But when she got a good look at the man, the tension fled from her shoulders and she relaxed. ‘Twas not the marshal. This man was much too tall and broad. She gave a sigh of relief, for she had no desire to come face to face with him again. ‘Twas preposterous, really, for her to have believed that ‘twas the marshal—for he’d hied himself off mere days after the theft.

A few moments later, her thoughts back on her happy condition, Maryn knocked on Jesslyn’s door, rocking heel-to-toe, so anxious was she to reveal her news. Alleck answered, clearly upset about something. Dried tears streaked his reddened face. “Alleck, are you well?” Taking the lad by the hand she turned him back into the room and closed the door behind her. “Where is your mama?” Looking around and not seeing any sign of Jesslyn, she turned back to him and awaited his reply.

“I know not. I woke up and she was not here—do you think the mother-stealer took her away?”

She bit back a smile.
Poor Callum.

Tears welled in his eyes once again and Maryn knelt down and put her arms around him, drawing him close against her. “Nay, Callum did not take your mama away. You’ll see. She no doubt went to fetch water at the well or some such thing.”

“But she’s always here when I wake up! She’s s’posed to hug me and tell me to wash up before I break my fast. Then she gives me a bannock cake and some cheese. ‘Tis how we
always
do it.” He scrubbed at his eyes with the fists.