This will destroy Aeschene, he thought to himself. Closing his eyes, a tear trailed down his cheek as he said a silent prayer for the lad. A thousand thoughts raced through his mind. If Raibeart was dead, it stood to reason that Richard and Colyne were as well.
“Carry him home, lads,” Lachlan said as he made the sign of the cross. “Carry him home.”
Two men stepped forward to prepare to take the boy’s body back to Aeschene. “The rest of ye, spread out and look for the others.” His voice cracked, his heart aching for the loss of such a fine boy. There would be no time to grieve now; he had deaths to avenge.
“Lachlan!” one of his men cried out. “I think he still lives!”
He knelt down on one knee to see for himself. He nearly fell over when he heard Raibeart groan. “God’s teeth!” he exclaimed. “Raibeart! Raibeart! What happened?”
The lad groaned and mumbled something incoherent. He was in too much pain and too close to death to answer. “Get him back to the keep quick as ye can!” He ordered. “Thomas, Gannon, and Gerald, ye will stay with me. Continue to look for Richard and the others.”
Thomas stepped forward. “We found two more bodies not far from here,” he said. “I recognize one of them as a Chisolm.”
“Any sign of Richard or Rory or Colyne?”
Thomas shook his head. “Nay. We also haven’t found their mounts.”
’Twas as good a sign as any he supposed. If there were no bodies nor horses, there was a good chance they’d been kidnapped. Lachlan would remain hopeful but cautiously so. “We continue to look,” he told him. “Have those who take Raibeart back return with twenty more men. We will nae stop looking.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Every member of the clan was brought into the walls of the MacCullough keep. The courtyard was filled near to bursting with tents and cooking fires, chickens, and milk cows. The sheep and cattle were kept right outside the walls, under the careful care and watchful eyes of the warriors and farmers.
The elderly and families with very young children were brought into the keep, given rooms above stairs, or in the armory on the lower floor. In a matter of a few short hours, the keep was bursting at the seams with people.
Marisse was doing her best to keep Aeschene’s spirits up. ‘Twasn’t until she said, “I am certain they are all well,” for the hundredth time that Aeschene realized what she was really doing. ‘Twasn’t Aeschene she was trying to convince, but her own worried heart.
“Ye care for Rory,” Aeschene whispered as they sat near the hearth. They were surrounded by people, all whispering and speaking in hushed tones. Worry and dread had settled over everyone.
Marisse scoffed at the idea. “Be gone with ye,” she said dismissively. “I am worried about all of them.”
Not for a moment did she believe Marisse.
“Ye need to be restin’,” Marisse said, changing the subject.
Aeschene didn’t want to make the same mistake and false assumption again. For months, she had believed Marisse was in love with Tiberius. Could she be incorrect now? Mayhap Marisse and Rory were just friends?
Keevah came in and sat with them. “I think we have everyone settled,” she said. “Everyone has brought food and supplies. I think we should be able to get through the next ten days or so without the worry of starvation hangin’ over our heads.” She poured a cup of warm cider and sat back in her chair.
Aeschene was glad for that bit of news. Marisse was glad for the change in topics of conversation.
“Is there any word from Lachlan yet?” Keevah asked, masking her concern with an air of nonchalance. Both Aeschene and Marisse were convinced there was a budding romance happening between Keevah and Lachlan.
“Nae as yet,” Aeschene replied. “I swear I am goin’ daft from nae kennin’ anything.”
“Ye worry over everything of late,” Marisse said.
“And have my worries proven wrong yet?” Aeschene said with a quirk of her brow.
Marisse refused to admit she’d been correct yesterday and again last night. Ignoring her friend, she turned to Keevah. “So, tell me, Keevah. Should we begin planning’ a wedding’ feast for ye and Lachlan?”
Keevah nearly choked to death on her cider. Aeschene was appalled at Marisse’s behavior. “Marisse! Wheest!”
“What?” she asked, feigning innocence. “Anyone can see they like each other.”
Keevah’s eyes were as big as trenchers. Twice, she tried to speak but the words were lodge firmly in her throat.
“Be that as it may,” Aeschene began. “Ye cannae just blurt out whatever it is ye’re thinkin’.”
Marisse rolled her eyes. “I would rather talk about Keevah and Lachlan that sit here wringing’ my fingers and worrying’ myself to death.”
“Fine, then let us discuss ye and Rory,” Keevah challenged.
Aeschene quashed the urge to laugh out loud.
“Me and Rory? There is no me and Rory.”
“That is nae what I heard,” Keevah said as if she had a tremendous secret.
“What? What did ye hear?” Aeschene asked, leaning forward in her chair.
Keevah shrugged her shoulders, feigning ignorance. Aeschene of course, couldn’t see her expression or the murderous glower in Marisse’s eyes.
“Well? Tell me?”
“I heard that Rory has spent the last few weeks begging Marisse’s forgiveness for thinkin’ she was with child.”
“I am still quite angry with him over that,” Aeschene said.
“I also heard that Marisse has forgiven him.”
Aeschene turned to look at Marisse. This was news to her. “And have ye?”
Marisse picked invisible lint from her skirt, affecting a composed air of indifference. “Mayhap I have,” she said. “But ’tis no one’s concern but my own.”
“Marisse!” Aeschene exclaimed. “Why did ye nae tell me?”
“Because I ken how yer mind works. If I had told ye I had forgiven him, ye would have had Hattie start readyin’ for a wedding’ feast.”
She wasn’t insulted, for she knew ’twas nothing but the truth. “And what would be wrong with that?”
“Because mayhap, just mayhap I dunnae want to be married.”
Aeschene blinked in stunned incredulity. “Nae want to be married?” she was astounded by this revelation. “But why nae?”
“Because, quite frankly speaking’, I like my independence.”
Keevah nodded in complete understanding. Aeschene, however, was dumbfounded and told her so.
“I can come and go as I please,” Marisse told her. “And I get an entire bed all too myself.”
Keevah smiled in agreement. “Och! I do believe that is my favorite part of nae bein’ married. No man lying next to me, snoring’ or grinding’ his teeth, or takin’ all the blankets.”
“Aye, that is true,” Marisse said. “And there be no one tellin’ me what I can and cannae do.”
“Or where ye can and cannae go,” Keevah added.
“Precisely,” Marisse replied. “I like nae havin’ a man to answer to.”