Plead Forgiveness (Loyalty Series) (41 page)

Thea threw herself into her friend’s arms and said,
“Thank ye, Lady Ella. Thank ye so much.”

“But only if you call me, Ella,” she said as she
squeezed the affectionate lass.

“Aye, I would like that verra much.”

Pale streaks of summer sun penetrated through the
thick canopy of branches, giving light to the earthy forest that surrounded
Ella and Thea. They had used a secret staircase located in Thea’s parent’s
chamber that led outside and as promised, they left the castle without being
seen by anyone.

Thea pull her through a wooded area, filled with
towering pine and birch trees until they reached a burn surrounded by
primroses, dog roses and sweet briar.

“This is the burn that empties into yer loch.”

“My loch?”

Thea gave a guilty smile and said, “Aye, the loch ye
like to look at when ye are in yer chamber.”

Understanding, Ella turned her gaze to the blooming
shrubs and bushes, “You were right, sweetling. You do know where to find the
most beautiful flowers.”

Thea beamed at the praise, then said, “If we follow
the burn away from the loch, we will reach the meadow near the village. Wait
until ye see all the different shades of purple and pink.”

As they made their way closer to the village picking
flowers, Thea impressed Ella by explaining in detail about the various plants.

They soon were joined by three little girls, who were
eager to help them make colorful bouquets. By the time they reached the meadow,
at least ten little girls and a handful of boys aided their venture.

With so many flowers in their hands, Ella and the
children soon stopped to make garlands. They sat on a Macleod plaid Thea had
the good sense to bring and created beautiful headpieces for each female while
engaging in childish conversation.

Two little boys, no more the seven summers, approached
Ella at noon with a basket of food and a jug of apple cider. They introduced
themselves as Wylie and Tomag, then pointed to their mother, who stood a fair
distance away waving with a smile on her face.

She waved back at the thoughtful woman, whom she had
met a fortnight ago. Her name was Iona, her husband, Ramsey. The delightful
couple ran the alehouse and were parents to twin lads.

Ella’s joyful experience with the children that
morning was repeated daily for a fortnight. The youthful Macleods entertained
her with comical stories, included her in their games and even asked questions
about her family. She was surprised at their eagerness learn about her departed
aunt and uncle, but more so by her willingness to share with them the pain.

A girl with white blond hair, who reminded Ella of
herself at five summers, plopped down in her lap and whispered, “My Grammy is
in heaven, and she will take care of Aunt Eleanor and Uncle James. She is verra
nice and makes the best sweet gundy in the highlands. Do Aunt Eleanor and Uncle
James like sweetmeats?”

“Aye, they do, Rona,” Ella replied, profoundly
touched. “They like them very much. I feel much better knowing your Grammy will
take care of them and fatten them up with sweetmeats.”

Ella’s attention was momentarily diverted by a couple
of boys tormenting Thea and her friends with wooden swords a short distance
away. Valen, one of the older boys, hit Thea on her bottom with his play sword.
And the little girl did not take this treatment lightly.

“Ye would nae be so high and mighty if I had a sword,”
Thea roared at him, even though he was three years older than her six summers.

Valen grabbed his friend’s sword and challenged, “Here
is a sword, but I dinna-”

Thea swung the wooded sword at Valen’s head, putting
an end to his arrogant words. He quickly deflected it, and after a few swings
was able to send her sword flying out of her hands.

Laughing at her failure, Valen boasted, “Thea, there is
nae a female among ye who is able to beat me with a sword.”

Picking up the discarded sword, Ella interrupted the
arrogant lad and said, “I beg to differ, Valen.”

When the girls heard their Lady Ella’s confident words
and saw her walk over to Thea and Valen, they grinned with supreme pride.

“Milady, I . . .” Valen muttered, but unable to
finish.

“We have all heard you say that nae female here can
best you, but what are you prepared to do if one does.”

Valen assumed that she was going to find another girl
to challenge him, so with a condescending smile he stated, “If ye can find one
among ye that can beat me with a sword, I will get down on one knee and declare
the Macleod lasses are the greatest warriors in all the Highlands.

“Nae good enough,” Ella began, “I believe every lad
here will have to make the same declaration.” Turning her gaze on the other
boys, she asked, “Are you as confident as your friend in his ability to defeat
any female here?”

They screamed their confirmation so loudly it fairly
blistered Ella’s ears. She scanned the meadow where they played, which stood at
least fifty paces away from the village, then sighed in relief that the uproar
had not alerted any of the children’s parents.

Unbeknownst to Ella, there was an audience that
remained hidden from her view and had been watching her for the past hour.
Gavin, Paen, and Bowen hid in the woods, feeling foolish for spying on her, but
eager to see the transformation Thea spoke of last eve.

Osgood and Maeve’s daughter had kept them informed on
what she referred to as her personal plan of attack. At hearing the child’s
words, Gavin shook his head with amusement. Obviously, Thea had become her
father’s daughter.

He was grinning ear to ear now at the sight of Ella
stepping right up to Valen, who was just shy of being eye level with her.

“Then we accept your challenge,” she stated.

With a smile, Valen asked, “And what will be our
reward after I win?”

“We will say the same, but instead of lasses we'll say
lads. Is that acceptable to you?”

“Aye, now bring forth yer challenger.”

Ella wanted to laugh at the egotistical lad, but
instead she raised her eyebrows and stated with a smirk, “Your challenger
stands before you.”

Hearing this, the girls let out excited shrieks while
the boys wisely retreated away from their champion.

“Ye think I canna take her?” Valen said as he looked
over his shoulder to his friends. “She may be bigger, but she is still a lass.
Worry naught, my friends.”

The children formed a circle around the pair as they
faced off like warriors.

Ella’s brothers had taught her how to wield a sword
when she was a child, insisting that she may have need of such skills, yet she
highly doubted that battling a boy half her age was what they had intended.

Valen attacked first, putting all his strength into
each of his numerous swings. Ella averted each blow with swift movements, not
bothering to deflect or raise her sword in a counterattack. Seeing the boy’s
frustration, she changed her tactic and began to deflect each sword thrust with
grace, ease and obvious skill. His attack was reckless and had him winded all
too soon. She quickly took advantage of his vulnerable state, and unarmed him
as easily as he has done with Thea.

The girls went wild, but instead of celebrating with
them, Ella took Valen and the other boys aside to speak with them privately.
Kneeling in front of the dejected lads, she asked “What did you learn from
this?”

“I’m nae as good as I thought,” Valen freely admitted.

With understanding, she suggested, “Try again, but
this time think why it is that you believed you could defeat me?”

“Ye are a lass.”

She confirmed that fact with a nod, but remained
silent, giving him time to think.

“I underestimated my opponent.” When she nodded again,
he added, “And I attacked without kenning yer skill.”

“Much better! Do you want to know what I was doing
when you were attacking me?”

Ella stared at a sea of dumbfounded faces, before
saying, “I was learning my opponent. His strengths and weaknesses, as well as
his moves. By the time I was done, you had worn yourself out, making it easier
for me to disarm you.”

Valen smiled as the others voiced their approval.

“Aye, ye taught me a valuable lesson, one I will be
proud to apply and teach the others. Thank ye, Milady.”

“You are very welcome. Now, I think we are all ready
to hear our reward.”

While the girls sat down to enjoy the show, the boys
lined up shoulder to shoulder, groaning with humiliation as they stared at the
village. Ella followed the boys’ gaze over her shoulder and saw the crowd of
villagers that had gathered behind where she and the girls sat. Gavin, Paen and
Bowen stood in the middle, with their arms across their chest, smiling their
approval.

Sitting on Ella’s lap, Thea whispered, “They have been
watching the whole time. But dinna fear, I will nae let them near ye if ‘tis
yer wish.”

“What would I do without you, princess,” she said,
hugging her little defender. “Thank you, sweetling . . . for everything.”

“I love ye, Ella.”

“ I love ye, too.” Pointing in the direction of the
lads, she then said, “Oh, I think they are about to begin.”

In unison and loud enough for all to hear, the boys
shouted, “THE MACLEOD LASSES ARE THE GREATEST WARRIORS IN ALL THE HIGHLANDS!”

The glorifying cheers and burst of applause in salute
to the girls’ victory was deafening. Laird Macleod, Paen and Bowen commanded
the red-faced lads to repeat the outrageous phrase three more times, much to
the approval of the crowd. The repentant boys did as instructed by their laird,
and then were permitted to take their leave. Before rushing off, each said
their farewells to Lady Ella, who was touched by the self-inclined gesture.

As the mass of children scattered, Ella noticed Bowen
and Paen approach, while Gavin engaged in conversation with the beautiful young
woman named Alice. Her brow puckered as she glared at the intimate way the
wanton touched his chest and pulled on his sleeve. But, when he walked away
with her, Ella felt an unfamiliar tightening in her chest, as though she were
being stabbed with a dagger repeatedly. It was no stretch of the imagination
for her to understand the relationship between her husband and the woman who
had recently begun working as a maid in the castle.

“Halt! Dinna come any closer until Lady Ella says
otherwise,” Thea commanded the two warriors with one hand raised and the other
on her hip.

Even though she was a quarter their weight and size,
they stopped dead in their tracks. Paen gave the wee tyrant an exasperated
look, while Bowen chuckled softly.

Ella put both her hands on her young protector’s
shoulders, then affirmed, “All is well, sweetling.”

Thea conceded, but stood with her hands on her hips,
scowling at the two men.

Bowen grinned at the show of loyalty of one so young.
Osgood would be proud of his daughter. With a respectful bow and tone, he
acknowledged, “I commend ye, Thea, for yer loyalty to Lady Ella.”

Paen added, “I commend ye as well, wee warrior, but
nae for yer loyalty. I commend ye for yer courage to fight someone older and
bigger than yerself.”

Thea’s fierce demeanor vanished as she exclaimed,
“Really?”

Paen gave her a devilish grin, then threw the giggling
girl over his shoulder as he continued, “Aye, my petite. I believe I will carve
ye a wooden sword of yer own. With Lady Ella’s help, ye will be better than yer
father in nae time.”

Laughter prevented Thea from responding, so Paen
asked, “If ye will cease that cackling, I wish to ken why ye fought Valen?”

“He hit my bottom with his sword.”

Paen instantly pulled her from his shoulder so she
stood facing him, then said, “Aye, then I whole heartily approve, princess. I
believe I’ll take a few whacks at him myself.”

Thea giggled, then threw her arms around his neck in
appreciation.

While Paen and Thea continued to wrestle around, Ella
could not help notice how gentle he was with the little girl or how much she
revered the normally gruff warrior.

Reading Ella’s expression, Bowen proclaimed, “Aye, he
has a soft spot for our wee princess.”

“Aye, and she obviously adores him.”

“He adores me, too,” Thea shouted. “I’m his favorite.”

Bowen and Ella both laughed at her boast, then watched
as Paen flipped and twirled her around. When he finally put the dizzy girl
down, he kept hold of her shoulders so her back was against his legs.

“Aye, she is my favorite. With the exception of Leif,
the other children fear me,” Paen admitted.

“Only cause they dinna ken ye as I do,” Thea said as
she looked up at him. “Also, ye frown quite often. Smile more, and they will
come around.”

Paen rolled his eyes at the advice of child only six
summers. As he hoisted her onto his shoulders he said, “I will think on it.”