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Chapter 19
Three days had passed, and still, Duncan MacPherson’s wound was not healing. Alastair was so upset by this that Fia had hardly seen him. He spent most of his time at his father’s bedside.
Her father, Reed, left days ago to collect the rest of their family and bring them to Cluny Castle for the wedding that was planned to take place as soon as they returned. A message had also been sent to Castle Rothbury to tell Fia’s sister as well as her cousins the good news.
Fia walked the grounds of the garden with Caitlin, trying to calm the girl since she was afraid her father would die. Having seen the man’s wound, Fia realized it didn’t look promising. An infection had set in. And in his weak state, she was sure Duncan MacPherson didn’t have long to live.
“I am so frightened,” said Caitlin, sitting down on a bench. Fia sat next to her and put her arm around the girl.
“Everythin’ will be all right, Caitlin. Dinna worry.”
“Do ye think my faither will live?” Caitlin looked up and dabbed at the tears in her eyes. Fia didn’t want to give the girl false hope. If her father was dying, she had a right to know.
“Only God kens for sure, Caitlin. The most we can do is pray. But I want ye to realize that no matter what happens to yer faither, I will always be here as yer friend. Alastair will, too.”
“Thank ye, Fia, but I dinna think Alastair will ever accept me. He will always see me as the reason his mathair left.”
“I dinna want ye to worry about that. Now, go back to yer chamber and wash yer face and put on a smile. Ye need to be strong.”
“Thank ye,” she said, heading toward her chamber.
Fia followed Caitlin inside. She caught sight of Alastair in the great hall and approached him, noticing the way he sat with his ankles crossed, closing himself off. Something was troubling him even more so than before. “Is yer faither any better?”
“Nay, he’s no’,” he said cradling a tankard of ale. “I think he will no’ live until the mornin’. I am goin’ to get the priest to bless him one last time and hear his confession before he leaves this world.”
“Oh, Alastair, I am so sorry.” She sat down and leaned against his chest. “I also feel saddened for Caitlin because she is havin’ a tough time with the thought she might lose her faither and have no one.”
“I feel no remorse for that girl.” His hands balled into fists. “She is the reason my mathair left me when I was only a lad. Now she’ll ken how I felt.”
“Stop it, Alastair. Yer anger is misplaced. It is no’ Caitlin’s fault what happened between yer mathair and faither.”
“How can ye say that?” he asked her. “Ye have only been with the MacPherson Clan a short time. Ye dinna ken the way it used to be before I lost my mathair.”
“It has been long enough to see that ye are actin’ like an ass.” His eyes opened wide, and his mouth turned down into a frown. Cerberus ran over, jumping up on Alastair, barking as usual. The hound took hold of Alastair’s sleeve and tugged, ripping his tunic.
“I dinna have time for this.” Alastair shot up off the bench, pushing the dog. “Get away!”
“Ye are always pushing away those that love ye,” she pointed out.
“The hound is always aggravatin’ me, Fia. I have things botherin’ me. I dinna need this in my life right now.”
“If ye paid more attention to the people or things that are important, instead of holdin’ on to yer grudges of the past, ye would see how much happier ye’d be.”
“My faither is dyin’. My clan is upset, and half of them think I did the wrong thing by makin’ an alliance with the Grants. I dinna have time to be befriendin’ a troublesome hound.”
“Is that what ye think? That ye did the wrong thing?” she asked, not liking what he said.
He stopped and pulled her up next to him, gathering her in his arms, holding her tightly. “Nay, Fia. I didna do the wrong thing. I will marry ye no matter what anyone thinks because I ken we were meant to be together.” He kissed her tenderly on the mouth, making her want to spend intimate time with him alone. Her heart went out to him because she knew how troubled he was with all that had transpired lately. “I promise ye things will be different soon. But right now, I need to get the priest and go to see to my dyin’ faither.”
As soon as Alastair left, Niven came to find her.
“Lady Fia, Laird Duncan calls for ye at his bedside,” said Niven.
“Me?” That surprised Fia. She didn’t understand it at all. The man didn’t even seem to like her. Why would he call for her?
“Aye, he asked me to fetch ye right away.”
“I’ll wait until Alastair returns with the priest.”
