As William headed toward home, he admitted that Teagan had been correct about the place where they might plant the mushrooms.
“I’d like to plant these tomorrow before they start to die off,” Ailith told him as she patted her satchel.She had left some with Teagan, but plenty remained to be transplanted and propagated.
“I promised Uncle Cormag I’d go with him and Robb to collect rent from the crofts.But we will pass close to here –” He paused, mulling over an idea.
“And I would plant while ye waited, or ...?”
“I’d rather see if Wee Brian or Muire might come with ye, but I could leave ye here and pick ye up on the way.Or might ye reach out to Teagan to join ye?”
“I can plant on my own,” Ailith told him with a bit of a pout.Did the earlier interaction with the Keith man still have him on edge, or was it not common to let a woman plant in a field by herself?
Probably both.
“But if ye prefer, I can ask Teagan to assist me, if I need it.”
His warm breath blew against the back of her head as he exhaled hard.
“I dinna care for it, but I understand how important these puddock-stools are to ye.And Teagan lives a ways from anyone else.Ye should be safe enough.We’ll no’ be too long, aye?Ye’ll leave when I return for ye?No hesitation or question.”
This was the first time he had been, well,strictwith her, demanding her obedience.Did he know something she didn’t?Or was there an underlying danger she had not considered?
Probably both, she thought again.
But he was willing to let her work, so at least she had that, and if it meant planting in short spurts or having someone else with her, so be it.
“Do ye have the weesgian-dubhI gave ye?”he asked suddenly.
Ailith shifted in the saddle, feeling the weight of the knife press against her thigh where it was tucked into the top of her stocking.The fact that he asked about it gave her pause.
“Aye,” she answered.“I’ve carried it since ye gave it to me.”
“Good,” he replied far too ominously for Ailith.
“I shall ask Teagan to accompany me,” she told William – anything to put his mind at ease.And the prospect of spending more time with her sent a thrill of excitement through her chest.“She was interested in the stools I left her and would be more than willing to join me.”That was a truth – Teaganhadbeen interested.
“Mmm,” was all William answered.“I dinna care for her isolated living, but she does seem to have a breadth of knowledge she was willing to impart.She appears kind enough and able to be on her own.Having her with ye should suffice.”
He didn’t seem convinced, but she was thankful he met her halfway.Plus, she had her wee knife.After seeing the confrontation between the Keith woman and her violent husband in Stonehaven earlier, Ailith had a sharp realization of how fortunate she was in William and relaxed into his warm embrace as Drumoak rose in the distance.
The sun had burst through the midday clouds when they arrived at Teagan’s cruck house.
William despised leaving Ailith with a near stranger – it seemed so contrary to his role as her husband and protector.While he knew she did a fair job protecting herself, he did not feel confident letting her traipse around the Highlands without him.What manner of husband did that?
One who trusted his wife.And knew a secret about her that few would ever comprehend.
Most days, he did not give her secret, her impossible secret, a single thought.
Moments like this, however, when he acknowledged her fighting skills or her breadth of knowledge, he realized she was probably fine on her own.
At least for a short time.Not too long.Not only for her safety, but because he couldn’t stand being away from her for too long.
Robb had given William a questioning side eye as Ailith disappeared behind the door.
“Ye are leaving your wife here?”he asked, gazing dubiously at the small croft.
William agreed with Robb’s implied opinion on that, but he shoved it aside and nodded.
“She has a friendship with the woman, and the woman has knowledge of herbs that Ailith desires to learn.‘Tis good for the clan if she has this knowledge.”
