At the cottage, he pulled the door open and entered. His family sat around the table eating their supper. Without a word, Breckin joined them at the table and pulled a trencher toward him. He then piled it on with vegetables, bread, cheese, and pieces of ham. His stomach rumbled at the sight of the meal because he didn’t eat so lavishly while on the trail.
No one spoke to him when he joined them and as soon as his brothers finished their meal, they hastened from the table and retreated to their bed chamber. Connor was somewhat slower than Caden in leaving, but he hobbled away and appeared not to want to be left behind.
Clare must’ve sensed the hostility in the air because she ate quickly too. But she didn’t leave the cottage and busied herself with cleaning up after the meal. Breckin finished his meal and when he looked up, Eva rose and, without a word to him, walked toward their bedchamber. Damnation, he mistook what was happening at the loch. Surely she should understand that and give him a chance to explain. With that thought in mind, he set his trencher atop the others in the pile for discarding and reached the chamber he shared with Eva.
He found her sitting on the bed. “Eva?”
She peered down at her folded hands on her lap. “I should go and ensure the lads are settled for the night.” She made to get up.
“Await. I…reacted poorly, did I not? When I saw Caden hurting ye, I saw naught but the need to protect ye. Och, I am gladdened to know that ye take defending yourself seriously. My ire was unaccountable.”
She stood and he stepped near her. “It is not me you should be apologizing to.”
Breckin sighed because he’d meant to make amends for his show of force. “I will speak to Caden later. Right now, I just want to kiss ye.” He leaned close and took hold of her face. She seemed so delicate and perhaps fragile in his hands, and yet, she’d taken to practicing defensive tactics. His wife surprised him at every turn. Breckin set his mouth on hers and the slightest touch caused his blood to heat.
Eva pulled away and stepped back, out of his embrace. “I am gladdened you are finally home and that you appear to have suffered no injuries.”
“I am well enough. And ye, how did ye fare whilst I was gone? Didye miss me?” He flashed a grin at her but she maintained a serious mien.
“Since you are the only person who speaks to me here, well, besides your brothers, Willa, Father Murphy, and some of the men who direct me… None of the women, though. I suppose I did miss you because it has been a wee bit lonely. I should go and make sure the lads understand that you are not angry with them. You might not realize this, Breckin, but they revere you and only want your attentiveness, just as I do.”
Before she could flee, he grabbed her arm. “Eva, what do ye mean by that? No one talks to ye? Has my clan been unkind or mean-spirited? Tell me and I will speak to them.”
She stepped backward until she reached the bed, and sat. “I shall never belong here and understand that now. Your clanspeople are wary of outsiders and are guarded even though I have been here for some time. Surely, they know that I am your wife but… Perhaps the women in your clan are just unfriendly.”
Breckin was disheartened at the tone in her voice and sadness in her eyes. He should have done more to gain her acceptance by his clan’s men and women. “’Tis my fault, lass. I thought I made myself clear when I discussed with them that ye are my wife and they should honor ye.”
“It does not matter, Breckin, whether they befriend me or not. I really must go.”
Breckin sat back on the small bed they shared and sighed wearily. He thought he’d confront an attack on his land upon his homecoming, instead, he was challenged with an even greater force—his wife’s ire.
He left the cottage and made the rounds of checking in with the watch, gaining any reports from Aymer whilst he was gone, ensuring the training regimen was in place for the next day with Gideon, and taking in the night air. The walk about the island brought forth a calming mood.
By the time he returned to Clare’s cottage, his bonny wife was asleep. He wasn’t too pleased because he’d missed her, her body, and her touch, in the time he’d been gone. He refrained from awakening her, however. He might have been daft this day when he thought his young brother was attacking Eva, but he wasn’t as dimwitted as to wake her because he wanted to seek pleasure.
He settled next to her and closed his eyes, content at least to be home, lying beside her.
In the morning, he awakened to find his lovely wife gone, her side of the bed cold, and an uncomfortable silence within the cottage. Breckin was well chagrined with himself of late. Eva hadn’t asked to be put in such a position where his clan’s men and women ignored her. It wasn’t right and he knew that he was to blame.
Not only was Eva’s acceptance into his clan troublesome, but he’d also neglected his brothers. It was time to remedy both situations. He nodded firmly at his thoughts and hastened from the room, intent to find her and his brothers.
Clare met him before he could leave the cottage. “Breckin, ’tis gladdened we are that ye are home. We should speak about your wife…”
“We should? Why?” He sat at the table and poured himself a small helping of mead. “What kept her occupied whilst I was gone?”
“Eva is resourceful, I shall give her that. She made an agreement with me…to teach her how to cook. She’s a quick learner, I must say, and I am sorry that I was so—”
“Sorry for what?”
Clare sat across from him. “I was distant when she came but I see the worthiness in her and I am gladdened ye married her. She shall be good for you and ye deserve happiness, Breckin. Aye, Eva will help abate the pain that has had a hold of your heart. Afore ye get angry with me, ye should know that the clan is beginning to accept her.”
“She does not know that.”
Clare absently smoothed her hands over the tabletop, collecting the crumbs that had scattered about from the morning fare. “I am not one to talk behind anyone’s back. Och, whilst ye were gone, Father Murphy made her sing before the congregation. All those at Mass were taken aback by her beautiful singing. Since then, most have attended Mass now in hopes that she will sing again. And then there is the arrangement she made with Amos, the merchant.”
He frowned sternly, wondering what arrangement his wife could have made with the cantankerous man. “And that is?”
“Well, she wanted to fill your home and so she trades with him for items she wants or needs, like the kitchen items and furniture.”
