He put his arms around her whispering “It that why ye were crying yesterday?”
“Partly,” she whispered back.
“It’s going to be all right,” he said, this time not whispering, “cuz ye know why?”
“Why?”
“Cuz Fingal says Laird MacIan takes care of his own, and you’re ‘his own.’” Leaning in and whispering again, he said with a little smile, “So am I.”
Although she hugged him saying, “I’m sure it will be all right,” Niall thought the expression on her face suggested she might not be all that confident. She looked around, seeming to realize for the first time that both Niall and Fingal had heard the exchange. Blushing, she let go of Tomas, stood up, and without making eye contact with anyone, brushed the dirt off her gown. When she finally looked up again, her mask of self-control was once more in place. She asked Niall, “Shall we go now?”
He nodded. No begging, no tears, no pouting, once again he was impressed with her. Katherine only showed concern for the well-being of her horse and the feelings of a wee peasant lad. Puzzled, Niall lifted her onto his horse, mounted behind her, again positioning her sideways on his lap. She put her arm around him and they rode this way in silence for the rest of the afternoon.
~ * ~
Although their pace was easier and Niall took care to protect her back from further injury, Katherine became more uncomfortable as the day progressed. She didn’t want to tell him she needed to rest. She knew she was already slowing their progress, but she didn’t think she could take much more. She was pulling together the courage to tell him, when he finally announced they would halt for the evening. She sighed with relief. Her backed ached incredibly and she didn’t think she had ever felt so tired. She didn’t argue when Niall told her to rest, but sank to the plaid he spread on the ground, watching as he and his men made camp. Tomas energetically helped where he could.
By the time the men had settled the horses for the night, Keith had rejoined them bearing gifts. “My lady,” Keith said, bowing to Lady Katherine, “Laird Carr sends his sincere thanks for the fine mare. He also said although it is a very small offering, he wanted ye to have something in return.” Keith handed her a soft bundle. Inside she found a silver brooch and a length of soft cream-colored wool woven with stripes of green and blue.
“This is beautiful,” she said, genuinely pleased as she ran her hands over the soft fabric.
“That is called an airisaidh,” Niall explained. “It is like the plaid men wear but it is usually made of a lighter wool. It is held on with a brooch and worn over a garment like your kirtle that we call a léine.”
“It is very thoughtful of Laird Carr,” said Katherine.
“Laird Carr has four daughters, I suspect they had a hand in this,” Niall said.
“Aye, they did,” said Keith, laughing. “His oldest daughter, Anna, insisted on it. Laird Carr gave Stormy to her. She was overjoyed.” Katherine knew it had been the right thing to do, but the confirmation that her beloved mare would not only be well treated, but loved, lightened her mood a great deal.
“Laird, he also sent a small gift to ye with his congratulations on your wedding,” Keith added.
Niall arched an eyebrow at that, saying, “I’ll bet he did. For the last few years, every time I have seen him, Laird Carr has needled me about marriage. I have always assured him I had no intentions of getting married. I am confident he found this new situation very amusing.”
Katherine wondered why Niall was so set against marriage but didn’t ask.
Keith produced two small casks of mead, a jug of excellent whisky, meat pies, cheese, brown bread, and small sugared buns.
After the meal, Tomas curled up beside her with his head in her lap and went to sleep, sugar from the buns still circling his mouth. Niall’s men talked and joked throughout dinner, but Niall remained as quiet as he had been all day. After hearing his comments about marriage, Katherine thought to herself she really knew nothing about this man, or any of them, really. She had managed to figure out their names over the course of the day, but other than that the only bits of information she had had came from Tomas the previous evening. She smiled when she remembered how he thought Duncurra was built in a loch.
“What amuses ye?” Niall asked.
She laughed a little saying, “I was thinking about how little I know of you all. I know these men are your ‘eeleet’ guard,” she said, emphasizing both syllables of the word as Tomas had the previous evening, “and Tomas thought Duncurra was built in the middle of a loch.”