Page 16 of Highland Flame

“That’s enough,” grumbled Cam. “I am goin’ to clean myself off as well as my sword in the river, and then let’s get movin’. My ears canna handle any more of the child’s cryin’.”

“All right, I’ll let my men know the plan,” Rook told them, starting away, but stopping and turning back around. “Are you really going to raise the child yourself?” he asked Cam.

“Would it be so surprisin’ to ye if I said I was?” Cam asked him.

“Well, I wouldn’t expect it, that’s for sure.”

“And neither should ye,” Cam answered. “I dinna ken anythin’ about raisin’ a child, and I dinna plan to do any such thing. Once we get to the priory, I’m goin’ to tell the monks to find the wee lass a guid home with decent parents.”

“I see,” said Rook, sounding skeptical.

“I can tell ye dinna believe that either,” snorted Cam.

“I am not doubting you,” Rook told him. “It’s just that sometimes things don’t always go as planned.”

“I certainly didna plan on havin’ a child, if that’s what ye mean.” Cam’s eyes darted back to the wagon once again.

“Have you considered getting married soon?” asked Rook.

“Never,” snapped Cam, turning on his heel and heading back to the wagon with the bawling child and the bossy widow. Now he had to take them to a priory to make candles and spend time with monks. This was going to be a very long sentence indeed!

*

“Stop the wagon,”Yvaine commanded after a short time on the road. Her stomach lurched from the continuous bouncing. She sat in back with Avianca who had finally cried herself to sleep.

“What is it?” Cam looked back over his shoulder. “Blethers, dinna tell me ye need to piss again. Or do ye want to retch instead? After all, ye seem to trade off between the two quite often.”

“Haud yer wheesht and stop this wagon, I say.”

“Fine,” Cam grumbled, bringing the wagon to a stop, calling out to Rook and his friends to halt as well.

“What’s goin’ on?” asked Nash, riding quickly to the side of the wagon. “Why are we stoppin’?”

North followed him, riding up quickly as well. “It’s no’ a guid idea to stop until we reach the priory. There could be Sassenachs hidin’ anywhere.” His eyes roamed back and forth as he scanned the area for any Englishmen possibly hiding in the brush.

“I only want to get into the front of the wagon since I canna stand the bouncin’ back here any longer,” Yvaine told him. “My teeth are goin’ to rattle right out of my head.” Yvaine put one leg over the side of the wagon, meaning to get out. That’s when she discovered the ground was farther down than she thought. Suddenly, she found herself stuck on the edge of the wagon with no way to get off.

“Blethers, this is no’ what I wanted to do.”

“Stay there before ye break yer fool neck.” Cam shot out of the driver’s seat and ran to the side of the wagon to help her. “Here,” he said, reaching up and putting his hands under her arms, lifting her out before she could even object.

God, it was wrong to feel this way with a stranger, but Yvaine liked Cam’s hands so close to her breasts. He no longer had blood on him, and that calmed her a little. His long, blond hair was wet and slicked back. She was sure he’d cleaned off in the river because of her comment earlier.

“Thank ye,” she said as he set her feet on the ground. His head jerked back in surprise, as if it was the last thing he’d expected her to say.

“Did ye just thank me?” He blinked twice.

“Aye, I did,” she admitted, starting to feel bad for giving him such a hard time. “I thanked ye no’ only for helpin’ me off the wagon, but for protectin’ me and the child from the battle as well.”

“It’s my job. What did ye expect me to do?” He held out his hand to help her up onto the driver’s seat.

That wasn’t the response she wanted or expected. It took her aback. “Yes, I suppose I am naught more than part of yer punishment,” she said, not taking his proffered hand.

“Yvaine, that’s no’ what I meant and ye ken it.”

“Do I?”

“Take my hand, lass,” he told her. “I only mean to assist ye. If we are goin’ to be livin’ together at the priory, we need to start trustin’ each other, and gettin’ along.”

She thought about it for a moment, and the word trust scared her more than the rest of it. She didn’t trust men! Not after the way her late husband had treated her. She couldn’t be sure all men – besides her brothers – weren’t going to treat her in the same way.

“Take it,” he told her, shoving his hand closer to her in an abrupt movement.

Instinct made her jump back and whimper, holding her arm up to block her face.

“God’s toes, what’s the matter with ye?” he asked, lowering his hand slowly. “Ye act like I’m the enemy, when I’m just the opposite. I am yer protector.”

She slowly lowered her arm, realizing how foolish she must seem to him. He wasn’t that bastard, Dun. She knew now he wasn’t trying to hurt her, but help her, like he’d said. Still, it was an instinctual reaction for her when any man came toward her with his arm flying.

“I – I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I guess I’m just no’ used to havin’ a protector.” She slowly reached out, waiting for him to take her hand. He looked down at it and then back up to her in thought before actually giving her his hand.

“That’s an odd thing to say. I would have thought ye were used to havin’ a protector,” he told her, guiding her up to the bench seat. “That is, bein’ married and all,” he continued. “I’m sure yer husband watched over ye.”

Thoughts drifted through her mind of all the times Dun had hurt her. It made her shiver. Her body stiffened as she took a seat. “I’d rather no’ talk of my dead husband if ye dinna mind.”

“I understand,” he said. “Too painful yet, I’m sure.” He pulled himself up and sat down next to her, taking the reins and starting forward.

“More painful than ye’d ever believe.” Yvaine wrapped her arms around her and stared off into the distance, trying to think of anything other than men, blood, and death.