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“I like dogs,” she said, missing her two hounds back home with her family. “I canna wait to meet him.”
“Be careful what ye wish for.” They approached the solar to find a small stream of light coming from the partially opened door. Alastair opened the door wider with a push of his large hand. A dark shadow lunged out of the room, causing her to scream. She heard a thud and realized something had landed on him. His body went crashing to the ground.
“Oomph,” she heard as a whoosh of air left Alastair’s lungs. Then she heard what sounded like a licking noise and panting. “Get off of me, ye crazy mutt!”
Fia giggled. Alastair’s dog had barreled out of the solar and knocked him over.
After a string of curses, Alastair managed to remove the hound from atop him and get to his feet. He stepped into the room and lit a candle. The room lit up in a soft glow, enabling her to see the dog finally.
It was a Scottish deerhound with long legs, a small head and lots of gray, scraggly hair. It stood on its back legs and put its paws on Alastair’s shoulders. In this position, the dog was as tall as him. Then, it started licking his face.
“I guess ye’re happy to see me. But what the hell are ye doin’ in my solar?” Alastair talked to the dog.
“My laird, I’m sorry about that.” A man with a rope in his hand ran into the room after them. “I tried to keep him in the kennel, but he chewed through the rope so many times wantin’ to come back to yer solar to wait for yer return. I can take him if ye’d like me to.”
“Dinna bother.” Alastair pushed the dog’s paws off his shoulders. Cerberus started barking and running around the room in crazy circles. “He’ll only sneak out and return.”
“Aye, my laird, if ye’re sure. I’ll return to the kennels then.”
“Thank ye, Johnston,” said Alastair, guiding the man to the door. Just as he left, Niven popped his head into the room.
“Oh, I see ye found yer hound,” he said, entering the room. “Here is yer travel bag, my laird.”
“Put it on the chair and get back to the great hall to tend to the fire.”
Niven bent over, calling the dog to him. In one wild leap, the hound sprang into the air, barking, knocking him to the ground as well. Niven laughed, rubbing his hands through the dog’s fur. Alastair didn’t think it was funny.
“Damn it, Cerberus, what did ye do?” growled Alastair.
“He’s only playin’,” said Fia, leaning over to pet the dog, thinking Alastair was overreacting.
“No’ that. This,” he spat.
She turned around to see the pallet pulled apart with straw spewed everywhere. A table was overturned on its side, and the edge of a hanging tapestry was chewed up and frayed. Clothes were scattered around the room, and some of them looked to be shredded.
“Oh, my,” she said, holding her hand to her mouth. She was unable to believe what she saw. “Is the hound a puppy by any chance?”
“Nay, it is a full-grown monster that needs a lesson in manners.” Alastair crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the panting dog.
“If ye dinna like the hound, why dinna ye get rid of it?” asked Fia.
“I canna.” Alastair walked over to the torn pallet and sat on it, pulling off his boots.
“Why no’?”
“No reason. I just canna.”
“He canna give it away because even though it drives him mad, he has lost his heart to the blame thing,” explained Niven.
“I see.” Fia’s heart melted. The gruff, angry, Scottish laird had a soft side after all. “So ye hate and love the dog all at the same time.”
“It’s just a hound,” he said, throwing his boot across the floor. The dog thought he was playing and hurried over and picked it up and ran in circles, knocking into everything again.
“Niven, stop him,” Alastair commanded.
“I would if I could,” said Niven, running after the dog and trying to catch it. The dog thought it was a game and barked even with the boot in its mouth. It got down low but left its rear high in the air. As soon as Niven got close, the dog sprang up and ran around the room.
Alastair complained. “Ye chew up another pair of my boots and I’ll –”
