“Because my da willna like it.”
Now, she was introducing a protective father so Cam backed off. But he was clever about it.
“But if I have birds’ eggs tae bring ye, where will I find ye?” he asked.
She looked at him, then. “The vale,” she said, almost gently. “If ye go tae the vale, I’ll find ye.”
“Ye willna throw rocks at me again, will ye?”
It was her turn to grin now, a lovely smile that Cam found enchanting. “I willna,” she said. “I willna let anyone else throw them, either.”
“If I go tae the vale tomorrow, will I find ye there?”
It was an invitation and her eyes twinkled as she looked at him, a faint flush mottling her cheeks. “Will ye bring the eggs?”
With a smile flickering on his lips, he lifted one of her dirty hands to his lips, kissing the knuckles gently. He watched the flush in her cheeks deepen.
“I’ll bring them.”
“Then I’ll be there.”
Winking at her, Cam dropped her hand and turned away, heading back into town to finish his business with old Albe. He wasn’t going to finish anything until he had Isadora’s pledge that she would see him again, but now, he had it.
He could go about his business.
When Albe wanted to know why Cam was smiling so much, he smiled more, but wouldn’t answer.
CHAPTER TWO
The Village of Netherton
Four miles southwest of Brechin
“Vale of Demons,ye say?”
In the main room of a tidy two-room cottage, the question came from Nikolaus Netherton as he eyed his grandson with suspicion. Cam had returned from Brechin yesterday with his head in the clouds and Nikolaus, a wise and reasonable man, couldn’t figure out why until Cam said he had some business to attend to today.
In the Vale of Demons.
Nikolaus scratched his thick, gray hair.
“Cam?” he said to get the man’s attention. “Ye said ye have business in the Vale of Demons? Whatkindof business?”
Cam was just finishing his morning meal of bread and warmed-over mutton. It was sunrise, with the sky turning shades of pink and lavender and blue, and it promised to be a fine spring day—a bit of cold wind was blowing in from the sea, but no amount of cold or wind could dampen Cam’s mood.
“A matter of eggs,” he said frankly, drinking the last of his watered ale and rising from the table. “I’ll be back at some point on this day. Ye needn’t worry.”
Nikolaus wasn’t worried; he was confused.
“Stop,” he commanded quietly as Cam moved for the door. “Sit down, lad. Tell me what business ye have in the Vale of Demons.”
“I told ye—a matter of eggs.”
“Cease with yer foolery or I’ll take a stick tae ye. What’s this about eggs?”
Reluctantly, Cam moved back to the table to do as his grandfather said because if he didn’t, Nikolaus would most certainly take a stick to him. For a man of his age, that was most humiliating. Therefore, he had to tell the truth.
At least, as much as he could.
