Highland Angels (Fated Hearts Book 3) (11 page)

~*~

“That was surprising news last night, Mairi. I knew ye had to be upset by it. I’m so very sorry.”

Aye, Darach understood. Mairi shook her head. “They all think I should just smile and accept this. But how can I? He’s a
MacKay
.”

“I know. I don’t understand how yer da could do this to ye. Surely Andrew marrying Anna is enough to end the feud if it’s so important to him.”

“I want to run away. I would have last night, but Andrew had set a guard on me.
Me!
I’m his own sister and he treats me like a prisoner. Why doesn’t he just chain me in my room and be done with it.”

“Mairi, now ye’re being ridiculous, and in fairness, ye
did
try to run away. I know ye’re upset, but that was foolhardy. Where would ye have gone? Who would have protected ye? Nay, ye can’t do that again.”

“I couldn’t even if I wanted to, because I’m being watched like a criminal.”

Darach laughed. “Don’t be so dramatic. Yer brother is concerned for yer safety, and I am as well. Ye can’t go running off in the middle of the night.”

“Surely ye don’t think I should marry Tasgall MacKay.”

“It doesn’t matter what I think, but even so, ye have plenty of time to figure out a way around it. Yer da said yer wedding wouldn’t be for three years or so.”

“So what are ye suggesting?”

“Accept things for now. Bide yer time. Anything can happen in three years. Maybe yer da will change his mind, or you’ll decide ye like Tasgall.” He laughed at her affronted look. “Don’t look so shocked. It could happen, but even if it doesn’t, three years is a lot of time to come up with a better plan than sneaking off alone in the night.”

“I suppose ye’re right, Darach.”

He grinned. “Of course I’m right.”

She threw her arms around him in a quick hug. “I wish ye were my brother. Ye’re a better brother than Andrew or Graham.”

After her discussion with Andrew and his father in the hall, Anna made her way to Davy’s chamber. Cora was already there. Both Cora and Davy were thrilled when Anna told them she had been given the responsibility to mind the lad.

“Och, my lady, I love the wee rascal but truthfully, he wears me out with all his comings and goings. Still, I know ye’ll have other responsibilities, so I’ll help ye where I can.”

Anna tried to keep the bitterness from her tone. “Thank ye, Cora, but Andrew and the laird don’t wish for me to have other responsibilities.”

Cora nodded sagely. “Aye, I suppose that is best, at least until ye’re fully recovered and have become Lady MacLeod, but after that, if ye need me, just ask.”

Anna didn’t think that was what Andrew meant, but she didn’t disavow Cora of that notion. “Thank ye Cora. Perhaps I can join ye and Davy for your morning meal and ye can tell me how ye spend yer day and what rules Davy is expected to follow.”

“Rules?” asked Davy.

Cora frowned. “Very little has been expected of Davy since his mother passed away.” Her tone clearly conveyed her disapproval.

“But that’s been…” Anna realized she didn’t know when Andrew’s first wife passed away, “how long has that been?”

“Four years,” said Cora.

Looking at Davy, Anna frowned. “The maids caring for ye have just let ye do whatever ye wished? All day?”

“Aye,” said Davy, nodding happily.

“Well, I think we need to change that a bit.”

“Why?” asked Davy

“We want ye to learn to be a fine man when ye grow up.”

“But I won’t be grown up for ever so long,” Davy said.

“Once ye’re grown up it’s too late,” said Anna. “And ye do want to be a fine man, don’t ye?”

Davy frowned. “I suppose.”

Cora patted Anna on the shoulder. “I told Davy he needed a mother. I’m glad to see he is getting one.”

The men had left the hall by the time Anna returned with Davy and Cora. Over their morning meal Anna learned that other than using good manners at mealtimes, just as Cora had said, very little else was expected of Davy.

“Don’t get me wrong, he’s a good lad. An absolute joy in many ways—very much like his mother. It’s really more that he needs to be someone’s priority. He has largely been left in the care of one maid or another, all of whom were very young women with little experience in raising a child. When he was a wee thing, that wasn’t really a problem but once he grew a little older, he became more independent and didn’t need quite as much attention. So, not really knowing any better, the young women tasked with minding him largely left him to raise himself. The only thing that was expected was that he not leave the walls alone.”

“What does
raise myself
mean?” asked Davy.

Cora smiled at him. “It means just what Lady Anna said, the maids caring for ye have let ye do whatever ye wished all day.”

He furrowed his brow but nodded. “Oh.”

Anna laughed and ruffled his hair. “Well then, that explains a few things. So, Davy, we are going to start with just one rule. I must always know where ye are.”

“How can ye always know that?”

“Because ye’ll tell me.”

“But what if I want to go to the stable to see Grieg or my pony?”

“Ye’ll ask me if ye may do that and then I’ll know where ye are.”

“But what if while I’m there, Uncle Graham says he’ll take me riding?”

“Then ye’ll tell Uncle Graham ye have to ask me first.”

“But what if it’s Granda who wants to take me riding?”

“Then ye’ll tell Granda ye have to ask me first.”

“But Granda is the laird.”

“I know that, but yer da and granda have made me responsible for ye, so they’ll understand.”

“Well Da never takes me riding anyway, but as long as Granda knows the rule, I guess it’s all right. But why do ye need to know where I am?”

Andrew never took him riding? How odd. She wanted to ask why, but helping Davy understand the reason for the rule was more important. “Davy, if ye had told Nessa where ye were going, would ye have fallen into the loch?”

“Nessa didn’t want to hunt dragons with me.”

“Sometimes that might happen, but ye must never wander off without telling me where ye intend to go.”

“Why?”

Anna laughed. “Because bad things can happen.”

“But falling through the ice turned out to be a good thing, because ye’re going to be my mama.”

Anna shook her head. Clearly whether it was good or bad depended on one’s perspective in this case. “I know ye’re happy about that, but I became very ill as a result. And what if I hadn’t been there?”

Davy frowned. “But ye were.”

Anna seized on this. “Aye, I was. And if I always know exactly where ye are, I can know ye’re not doing something that might put ye in danger, like walking on thin ice.”

“Oh.” Davy seemed to consider this for a moment before asking, “Do ye have rules ye have to follow?”

Anna sighed. “Aye, Davy.”
Don’t walk northward on the bluff Anna. You must never venture that close to MacLeod territory.
“Do ye understand the rule?”

“Aye.”

“Good. Now, Cora said ye haven’t begun to learn to read.”

“Nay. I expect Father Ninian will teach me someday.”

“I’m going to start teaching ye this morning.”

Davy laughed. “Lasses can’t read.”

Anna assumed this statement meant that Mairi couldn’t read. She needed to learn too, but one challenge at a time. “Some can. I can read. This morning we are going to start learning letters and numbers.”

“I don’t know any letters or numbers.”

“That’s why we are going to start learning them.”

“I’d rather go see people and maybe hunt dragons.”

Anna laughed again. “I know. But after ye’ve spent some time learning a bit, perhaps we’ll hunt dragons.”

“Ye’ll go with me?”

“Aye, Davy. But I haven’t hunted dragons in years. Ye’ll have to remind me how it’s done.”

They spent at little more than an hour learning letters and numbers. Anna didn’t want it to feel like a chore, so she made things into games, which Davy seemed to love. When they were through, Anna said, “We can go hunt dragons now if ye wish.”

“Nay, I have a few other things to do first. Can we go to the kitchen?”

Anna cocked her head and looked at him. “What other things?”

“I have to go see people. Like Dallis.”

“Who is Dallis?”

“Ye don’t know Dallis? She’s the head cook and sometimes she makes sweet buns. Ye have to meet Dallis. I love her.”

“Because she makes sweet buns?”

“Aye, but she is nice too. Come with me.”

This suited Anna quite well. She wanted to meet the staff, and clearly Davy could help her do that. He took Anna’s hand and practically dragged her downstairs and out to the kitchens, chattering the whole way about Dallis.

He pulled her into the busy kitchen but before the first word was out of his mouth a tiny, reed thin woman saw him. Her angular face was suddenly wreathed in smiles. “Davy, lad, I thought ye weren’t going to come see me this morning.”

“I had to learn some letters first. Anna says it’s important.” The tone of his voice led Anna to believe he wasn’t convinced.

“Well, lad, ‘tis very important for a young laird to learn such things.” Dallis gave Anna a look of such pure affection, it startled her. “And it’s about time someone remembered that.”

“Well Anna did. But she says she hasn’t met ye so I brought her with me. Anna, this is Dallis. Ye know, Dallis, Anna’s my angel, ye know, Dallis.”

“So I’ve heard, lad. My lady, ‘tis truly a pleasure to meet ye.”

“It’s lovely to meet ye as well. I hope we’re not interrupting.” Anna responded.

“Nay, of course not. Ye’re always welcome and if there is ever anything ye need, just ask.”

“Thank ye, Dallis.”

In a loud whisper Davy said to Anna, “Tell her ye need some sweet buns.”

Both Anna and Dallis laughed.

“Come, sit at the table here and I’ll give ye both a wee bite to eat.”

Dallis brought them sweet buns before sitting down at the table with them. “My lady, I know ye’ve heard this before, but we are so very grateful to ye.”

Anna never knew what to say to that. “Anyone would have done it.”

“Perhaps. But ye were the one who did.” Dallis put her hand over Anna’s where it rested on the table. “And I’m fairly certain ye never bargained for this betrothal.”

“It’s…I…”

“I know, lass. I’m sure it’s all a bit overwhelming. Ye’ll be fine and I promise ye, I will do whatever I can to help ye adjust. ’Tis good to have a lady in the keep again.” Sorrow touched Dallis’ features for a moment. “The laird married Lady Kenna less than a year after Lady Arabella died. Ena, Andrew and Graham were not without a mother long, and Lady Kenna was wonderful. Sir Andrew married Lady Joan just two years after Lady Kenna passed away and she too was an absolute joy. She lit up a room just like wee Davy does. Aye, ‘Twill be good for everyone, but especially for Davy and Mairi. It’s better when there is a lady seeing to things. If ye wish, we can go over the meals for the rest of the week now.”

Anna looked down for a moment.

“What is it, lass?”

“I’m not…that is…the laird…well, I won’t be managing the household.”

“Ye won’t? Lass, we can teach ye what ye need to know.”

Anna looked her in the eye. “I’m certain ye could, and it’s not as if I have no experience, it’s just the laird said Brenda was to keep handling things. My only responsibility is David.”

Dallis frowned. “Perhaps he just doesn’t want to overtax ye until ye’re fully better.”

Anna didn’t think so, but she said, “Perhaps.”

They chatted about other things until Davy had finished his sweet bun. When he was through, he stood up, wiped his hands on his léine and announced, “Now we need to go see Grieg.”

“Davy, ye need to thank Dallis for the nice treat.”

He grinned. “She knows I liked it. I come every day and I always eat what she gives me.”

Anna shook her head but a smile played at her lips. “Even if Dallis knows ye like yer snacks, ye must still thank her for making them for ye.”

He looked stunned. “Really?”

Anna nodded. “Really.”

“Dallis, is that so?”

“Aye, Davy, it’s considered good manners.”

“Then why have ye never told me that before?”

Dallis tried to hide her amusement. “Because it wouldn’t be good manners for a cook to point that out to the Laird’s grandson.”

“Really?” He sounded incredulous.

Dallis chuckled. “Aye Davy, really.”

“But Anna can tell me I have bad manners?”

Anna shook her head. “I didn’t say ye had bad manners, I just told ye what would be polite.”

Dallis smiled broadly. “And she can do that, because she is going to be yer mama.”

Davy grinned. “Aye she is. Thank ye for making the sweet buns I like, Dallis.”

Dallis gave a small bow. “Ye’re very welcome, Davy.”

“Did I do that right?” he asked Anna.

“Aye, that was very nicely done. Thank ye for taking a bit time for a chat, Dallis. I enjoyed it.”

“Ye’re most welcome, Lady Anna.”

Davy took Anna’s hand and pulled her out the door. “Now we have to go see Grieg.”

“Who is Grieg?”

“The stable master.”

“Why do we need to see the stable master?”

“Because I go see him every day.”

As it turned out, Davy had a series of people he visited each day, and each person seemed genuinely delighted to see him. Some, like Dallis, had treats for him, but it wasn’t always food. The stable master stopped his work to let Davy have a brief ride on his pony. The cooper let him pick a tool to practice using for a while. The fletcher let him smooth arrow shafts with a waxed cloth. But others, like the weavers, the laundress, the chandler and the brewer just stopped to chat with him for a few minutes. He even introduced Anna to Brenda, the woman who had run the household for the last four years, and to Fergus, the steward.

Just as Dallis had said, Davy seemed to be a welcome bright light everywhere he went. Anna slowly began to realize why the MacLeod’s had been so willing to accept her solely because she’d saved him. He was loved, but not just because he was the laird’s grandson, a child they saw from a distance. He was loved because he had endeared himself to each clan member. Few adults had the kind of charisma that Davy displayed and she couldn’t help but wonder how he had become so adept at reading and responding to people. Anna had told him she wanted him to
learn to be a fine man
when he grew up. Clearly in some areas he was well on his way.

After the midday meal, Davy grinned at her saying, “Now we can go dragon hunting.”