Old beliefs didn’t just disappear. Especially not when motivations such as greed, power, control were at stake. ‘It all comes back to the land that the King granted to Lochmores.’
‘Do you want war?’
‘Never, but we can’t stop bloodshed even with Lochmores controlling the land. Why is the land important for you?’
‘Watercress. Mint. Thyme. The water’s important. McCrieff healers have been planting there for centuries.’
‘So not land, but herbs for healing. That’s not an argument I’m going to make before the Lochmore council or my father.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because I’ll be labelled a fool.’
She raised her hand as if to slap him and he grabbed it. ‘Won’t do much damage without your shears.’
‘It’ll still sting.’
Chuckling, he studied their hands. Like this, their differences were acute, but still she curled her hand until it held his. He welcomed that warmth, but not for the first time Ailsa’s brow was furrowed, her thoughts elsewhere. ‘What is it?’
‘Will we still be able to use the land?’ she asked.
‘There is no denying the King’s decree. Ultimately, my father is Chief. He will listen to opinions, but in the end he will decide. I’m married to you, however, and, despite rumour, he is a fair man. But I don’t have a say in the matter for your water basil, dear wife. Despite our marriage, we are still Lochmores and McCrieffs.’
‘Hmmm,’ Ailsa said.
Rory waited for her to continue. He knew her well enough to know she had more on her mind. He didn’t have long to wait.
‘Rory, do you ever...do you ever wonder if you were named because of the Great Feud?’
Strange conversation. ‘I know I was... You looked shocked.’
‘I am. I didn’t think the Lochmores would ever use that name. Why would you be named after McCrieff’s baby who died?’
If she said she could heal the dead, he couldnot be more shocked. Keeping their hands linked, he sat in the bed, leaning against the back frame. ‘It’s McCrieffs who believe the baby was a McCrieff’s. For Lochmores, that baby had no name. It died along with its mother. Thereby, I was named after the nephew who attempted to stop the fighting.’
Ailsa adjusted herself around him, but she, too, kept their hands linked. ‘More differences. Tell me the story as you know it.’
‘It’s a tragedy, Ailsa. I’d rather not talk of tragedies right now.’
‘A tragedy?’
‘The Lochmore lass rejected the McCrieff Chief, and married Lochmore’s. In childbirth, she and the Lochmore baby died. When the McCrieff heard of her death, he stormed our castle. He did it out of pride for being spurned. At sword point he threatened our Chief. Thinking he could protect him, Lochmore’s nephew, Rory, interceded and died by the McCrieff’s hand. McCrieffs yanked their Chief away. As for my clan, the Lochmores were already mourning and now there was another death.’
‘The story from our side was the mother was pregnant with McCrieffs’ babe and died in childbirth, but not before she named her son Rory.’
‘More differences between Lochmores and McCrieffs,’ he said.
‘It appears so.’
Ailsa gripped his hand. ‘It is tragic the nephew’s death escalated the strained relations even though McCrieff killing him was an accident.’
‘Not if you look at the fact McCrieffs’ Chief shouldn’t have been there at all. If he hadn’t been there, he wouldn’t have killed the Lochmore nephew named Rory.’
Ailsa wasn’t silent at his words, instead she did that low humming sound she made when she was deep in thought.
He gave that to her. There was much to think about. From Paiden’s recovery and Hamish not waking. His family’s brooches, his obvious disappointment, her comforting him after everything. Him unable to express what she was beginning to mean to him.
To this... More revelations.
