“Why?” Callum’s blue eyes, so like his own, clouded. “I thought she was happy here with us.”
Col smiled sadly. “I think she is. But ye see, I stopped her going home with the ship that she came on. I must offer her the opportunity to go home if she wants it.”
“Ye dinnaewantto marry her?” pressed Callum, like a dog with a bone.
Col sighed. “I dinnae know, Callum. That’s the truth. It’s complicated.”
“Is it?” Callum rested his chin on his fist, staring at the book in front of him.
Col reached out a hand to stroke his tangled red curls. And Callum dodged the caress. Col withdrew his hand. “Speaking of yer uncle Merlow, I thought I’d look into getting ye a tutor toprepare ye for school. Rory may not be cut out fer university, but I think ye might be. Would ye like that?”
Callum turned his head and blinked at him. “Someone to teach me Latin and Greek? And scientific principles?”
“Aye lad, if it’s what ye want?”
“I would.” Callum blinked and wiped his eyes. “Thank ye.”
“Oh, lad, I’m sorry,” Col said helplessly.Fook, I’ve let this boy down.“Ye shall have a tutor as soon as I can arrange one.” He squeezed his arm and rose, heading for the door. “D’ye want to come down fer dinner or have a meal up here?”
“I’ll come down.”
Col nodded and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him and pausing to sort through that conversation. Callum’s question about Aihan had thrown him. The prospect of sending her home gave him a nasty ache in the chest. He would miss her, dreadfully, he realised. He had come to rely on her a great deal. She was a comfort as well as a source of pleasure. And as he had reflected before, she seemed to fit, despite being from a completely different culture.
He sighed and shifted his shoulders, trying to ease the ache in his back. He moved along the corridor, past his own room and Aihan’s, to Rory’s at the other end. He knocked and when bid, entered to find Rory, sitting up on the side of the bed, naked.
“Thinking of getting up?” he asked, moving into the room.
“Aye, I’m hungry.”
“How’s the pain?” asked Col, handing his son his breeches. Rory hauled them on, trying to hide a wince as he moved his arms and back to do so.
“I’ll live.” His face remained closed as he said this, but Col could tell by something in his eyes that there was a lot going on behind them.
Col reached for a robe and held it out. “This will rub less than a shirt.”
Rory took it and shrugged it on with another grimace.
“Be careful ye don’t open the wounds up again!” cautioned Col.
Rory stood a moment, staring past Col’s shoulder, then took a breath and said, “Thank ye fer taking the blows for me and the lads. I’m sorry I brought shame on ye.”
Col looked at him for a moment. It had taken something for the lad to say that.
“I’m glad ye can admit yer fault and take yer punishment so well, lad. I’m proud of the way ye took responsibility. Ye ken now why it was wrong?”
“Aye, I do.” Rory looked at his feet. “I’ve been so angry with ye,” he admitted.
“Nae surprise there, lad, I’ve let ye down and I’m more sorry than I can say.” Col swallowed the lump in his throat.
Rory nodded, and silence ensued for a moment or two. Then Rory said, “how’s Callum?”
“Sore, a bit bruised, but he’ll heal in a few days. Willy’s the same. The chief pulled his punch with those two.”
Rory nodded again. “He dinnae with ye though, did he?”
“I’m not a lad, Rory. If I could have, I’d have taken all the blows to spare ye lads. Ye must know that.”
“I do.” Rory raised his eyes to Col’s and gave him a tentative smile. “I’m right proud yer my Athair.”
