Page 60 of Highland Flame

“Why didn’t you or Keithen mention this to me earlier?” The monk was obviously not happy at all to hear this.

“What does it matter?” she asked him. “Are ye goin’ to turn me away now that ye ken the truth?”

“I never said that.” The monk fidgeted. “However, this changes everything, Yvaine. Once you start showing, I’m afraid I am going to have to ask you to leave Lanercost Priory.”

“Leave?” she asked in surprise. Terror filled her eyes. “Where would I go?”

“I don’t know, but I can’t have a pregnant woman waddling around the priory,” snapped the monk. “It’s bad enough I let you stay when you are not planning on joining the Order. There seems to be no real reason for you to be here. Perhaps you should go home. Back to Hermitage where you belong.”

“Hermitage is no longer my home,” she told him in a shaky voice. “Gillies, I canna believe ye’d kick out yer own sister, after everythin’ I’ve been through.”

Gavin appeared back at the door. “Yvaine, we need to leave now, or we’ll risk runnin’ into trouble. It’ll be gettin’ dark soon, and I’m no’ so sure how safe we’ll be travelin’ after sunset.”

“Go,” said the monk. “We’ll talk about this when you return.” Brother Gillies turned and left the room.

“I’ll be right there,” said Yvaine, starting to leave, then stopping in the doorway, talking over her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Cam. I promise ye I will tell ye everythin’ once I return.”

*

By the timethe sun set, Cam felt exhausted and wanted nothing more than to go to bed. He’d finished all his chores and taken a bath in the lavitorium since Brother Gillies forbid him to jump into the pond to wash off. Thankfully, he no longer stunk like dung. Unfortunately, as much as he’d wanted special time to spend alone with his daughter, it never happened. Avianca was upset with him for not letting her go to the castle. She had stayed with Sister Edna instead of wanting to be with him at all.

This is not how he wanted things to be. Cam realized now that he’d been wrong in telling the little girl she couldn’t go to Naward Castle. He was upset at the time, and never should have spoken in haste. Even if he had to be doomed to live this life of hell, his daughter didn’t deserve it. She’d been through such hard times lately, losing her mother. What the wee lass needed was love and happiness – something it seemed he was failing to give her.

If he could take her to the castle right now to make up for his mistake, he would do it in an instant. That, of course, was never going to happen. Brother Gillies made sure he knew he wasn’t allowed to leave. The monks watched him carefully, and expected him to show his face at the services. Now, he wondered if he should have stolen a horse from the barn and risked it all, just to make his daughter smile.

“Avianca,” he called out, seeing Sister Edna heading to the upstairs tower room to put the little girl to bed. “Wait up.” He ran across the courtyard, meaning to stop them.

Brother Gillies looked up from the cloistered area, hurrying over, probably to reprimand him for shouting once again.

“Didna ye want to spend time with me?” Cam asked the little girl, reaching out for her. Avianca hid behind the nun, gripping on to her skirt. It felt like a dagger to his heart. He’d never be able to undo the damage he had done.

“You seem to have scared the child,” said the nun, pulling the little girl closer to her. “I think it would be best if you left her alone.”

“Nay, she’s no’ scared of me. I’m her faither. She’s fine,” said Cam, reaching out for Avianca once again. This time, the little girl started crying very loudly.

“What is going on here?” growled Brother Gillies in a stern voice, looking as upset as Cam felt right now.

“The Highlander is frightening the child,” said the nun. “She doesn’t want him near her, and I can’t blame her.” She looked at Cam in disgust, making him feel even worse than he already did.

“What have you done, Cam?” asked Brother Gillies.

“Nothin’,” said Cam with a shrug of his shoulders. “She’s just upset that I wouldna allow her to go to the castle, but she’ll get over it.”

Avianca cried even louder, reminding Cam of those first few days with her. He wished more than anything that Yvaine was here right now to calm the child down. Yvaine had a magical way with the girl that he had yet to learn. Yvaine would make a good mother someday. He had no doubt about it.

“This is unacceptable,” spat the monk. “First, I find out I have a pregnant woman within these holy walls, and now I have a violent, shouting Highlander and a screaming child. This has to stop immediately, and I plan on putting an end to it.”

“Guid. Please do,” said Cam, tired of being reprimanded by the monk. “Send me back to Hermitage Castle, and put both of us out of our misery.”

“Take the girl up to bed immediately,” Gillies commanded the nun. As soon as they left, he turned to Cam. “I suggest you go to bed as well. Ever since you arrived, this priory has been in utter chaos.”

“Then do somethin’ about it,” Cam challenged him, not caring anymore if he got a bad report from Gillies, or even if he had to start his punishment all over again somewhere else. “I’ll be more than glad when this is all over.” He turned and headed back to the catacombs. All Cam wanted to do was sleep, and forget about Yvaine and her secrets, his crying daughter, and the monk who was out to make his life a living hell. Mayhap with some rest, things would all look better in the morning.