Page 33 of Highland Sky

“Ye might think Callum is a crazed fool, but he is probably the wisest man in the clan,” said Aidan with respect.

“How so?” asked North.

“Well, he brings our clan wealth with all the sales of his Mountain Magic.”

“Anyone can brew whisky,” spat Nash, swiping his hand through the air. “How does that make him wise?”

“He keeps himself alive, and valuable to the clan by not revealing his secret recipe,” Aidan continued. “He also is smart enough to be the proprietor of a tavern where Highlanders, Lowlanders, and even the English go to drink.”

“So, he’s a guid businessman,” said Nash. “Who cares? I dinna see what any of this has to do with me.”

“Really?” Aidan chuckled. “Ye boys ken that his son, Ian, has been ill lately, right?”

“Aye. What’s wrong with him?” asked Nash.

“No one really kens. Or at least that’s the way Callum wants it to be.” Aidan’s squirrel peeked out from under his sash and Aidan ran a finger over its head.

“Why would he want to keep it a secret?” asked Nash.

Aidan shrugged. “I canna answer that, since Callum is a complicated old coot. However, he was wise enough to trap ye boys and yer friends into doin’ his biddin’.”

“Nay, that’s no’ true. We broke his silly rules,” said North. “The only thing Callum is doin’ is makin’ us earn our ways back into the clan.”

“That’s right,” said Nash. “We dinna want to be outcasts any longer.”

Aidan snorted. “And ye dinna think the whole thing is a little absurd?”

“Well, aye,” said Nash. “But we dinna have a choice. We have to do what Callum wants or we’ll be outcasts forever.”

“Mayhap.” Aidan held the squirrel in the crook of his arm. “Then again, I must admit that Old Callum has wanted Ian to make an alliance with the MacKenzies since the battle happened twelve years ago. He’s also been sayin’ that we need our own cordwainer in the clan.”

“Gavin and Davita,” mumbled North. “But how could he ken they’d get married?”

“Who really has that answer?” asked Aidan. “All I’m sayin’ is that Callum is gettin’ everythin’ he wants one way or another.”

“If so, what about Cam and his punishment?” asked North. “Did Callum want a chandler in the clan, too? I hardly think he planned that. After all, Yvaine showed up at the last minute with news of her husband dyin’.”

“Nay. There is no way the old man could have kent that Yvaine was goin’ to show up right as he was about to hand out Cam’s punishment,” said Nash.

“Perhaps I’m wrong then,” said Aidan with a shrug. “It is just my humble opinion.”

“What caused that battle between our parents and Kellina’s parents in the first place?” asked North. “We were only twelve at the time, and I dinna remember much about it.”

“Neither do I,” said Nash. “I asked our chieftains about it several times while growing up, but they never seemed to give me an answer.”

“Or mayhap they really didna ken, either,” added North.

“Whatever it was that started that battle, the real reason was kept a secret from the clans for a guid reason,” explained Aidan. “I think someone kens the real reason for their deaths, and has a purpose for never divulgin’ it.”

“Supposedly, no one who was there lived,” said North.

“We were told that Lord Ciaran stumbled upon them and hauled all their dead bodies home.”

“Well, then mayhap he is the one to ask about it,” said Aidan.

“Whatever the reason, I hope Kellina will figure out soon that the MacKeefes are no’ her enemies.” Nash really meant this, even though he felt sorry for the girl. “Mayhap then, she can stop blamin’ the rest of us for what happened to her parents twelve years ago.”

*