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Authors: Teresa J Reasor
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and
the few MacLachlan chiefs who had taken part in the arbitration.
“Introduce your wife to our company, Alexander. They shall be staying
for the evening meal,” John announced.
Chapter Five
Alexander’s men were in high spirits at the evening meal. James and
Robert Campbell, the two red haired members of the group bore the brunt
of the humorous revelry for both were expected to marry soon.
Content to sit and listen to their jests, Mary nibbled sporadically at the
food set before her. Roasted fowl and pork, pastries filled with ham and
chicken, smoked salmon, cooked vegetables, cheese and flat loaves of
bread drizzled with honey, were offered to her, but nerves held her appetite
at bay.
Alexander moved the trencher they shared closer to her so she could
reach it more easily then frowned when she pushed it back toward him and
sipped her drink. “Is the food not to your liking, Mary?”
“‘Tis very good, I have eaten my fill.”
“There is something to be said for having a good lass to come home
to,” William said.
“The many wee Campbell’s who are running about when I visit your
hut is proof enough of that, Willy,” Derrick teased, his dark brown eyes alight
with humor.
“You’re doing your own part to keep the name alive, Derrick. Your
brood had swelled to four the last time I counted.”
“‘Twill be five in not so many months,” he boasted with a grin.
“‘Twould seem the lot of you have studied but a few scriptures, and
only paid service when the words, be fruitful and multiply were mentioned,”
Duncan teased.
The men all laughed and made comments that had Alexander leaning
forward and sweeping them with a look that subdued their rowdy humor.
“Alas, Mary,” Duncan said, his tone mournful, “I have a weakness
which plaques me greatly.” He paused for effect then continued. ‘Tis
lasses. I like them all. Be they short or tall, stout or slender, fair of face or
plain, I find I can not resist any of them.”
“Aye. ‘Tis the reason the rest of us keep our women folk close by when
he is about,” Samuel said with a grin.
Alexander had taken little part in their jests and his displeasure was
evident in the gaze he fastened on his brother.
“It has been told to me you were raised within the MacPherson Clan,
Lady Mary,” Shamus Campbell said, introducing a safer topic from across
the table.
“Aye. My Aunt Agnes was wed into the clan to the brother of the Laird,
Hugh MacPherson. ‘Twas the two of them who raised my sister and me
from the age of six.”
“My wife was a MacPherson. Mayhap you will speak to her about the
clan when next we visit.”
For the first time all evening, a cautious smile tilted her lips. “I shall
look forward to it.”
“It has been many years since she has visited her family. Her brother
is Robert MacPherson of Cluny.”
“My sister and I often played as children with his daughters Edina and
Rose. Edina had wed and was expecting her first bairn when we were sent
to Collin MacLachlan.”
“My wife will be pleased to hear the news. I’ll be telling her as soon as
I return home.”
The next smile came more easily.
“How oft were you called home from the MacPherson Clan, Mary?”
David Campbell asked from beside Alexander.
“We were called home thrice in twelve years. Once at Christmastide
when my mother still lived. When my mother died, we returned for a week.
Then, when Collin decided to find a match for my sister.”
“‘Tis unusual for a fostered child to remain so long away from home,”
Lamont Campbell, Alexander’s uncle, said from down the table.
“We were treated like daughters of the house by my aunt and uncle. I
have no complaints to offer in that.”
“I understand your unwillingness to have our children fostered, Mary,”
Alexander commented. “You should have been welcomed home more oft.”
“‘Tis not the only reason. Duty and loyalty come more readily toward
those we have lived
the few MacLachlan chiefs who had taken part in the arbitration.
“Introduce your wife to our company, Alexander. They shall be staying
for the evening meal,” John announced.
Chapter Five
Alexander’s men were in high spirits at the evening meal. James and
Robert Campbell, the two red haired members of the group bore the brunt
of the humorous revelry for both were expected to marry soon.
Content to sit and listen to their jests, Mary nibbled sporadically at the
food set before her. Roasted fowl and pork, pastries filled with ham and
chicken, smoked salmon, cooked vegetables, cheese and flat loaves of
bread drizzled with honey, were offered to her, but nerves held her appetite
at bay.
Alexander moved the trencher they shared closer to her so she could
reach it more easily then frowned when she pushed it back toward him and
sipped her drink. “Is the food not to your liking, Mary?”
“‘Tis very good, I have eaten my fill.”
“There is something to be said for having a good lass to come home
to,” William said.
“The many wee Campbell’s who are running about when I visit your
hut is proof enough of that, Willy,” Derrick teased, his dark brown eyes alight
with humor.
“You’re doing your own part to keep the name alive, Derrick. Your
brood had swelled to four the last time I counted.”
“‘Twill be five in not so many months,” he boasted with a grin.
“‘Twould seem the lot of you have studied but a few scriptures, and
only paid service when the words, be fruitful and multiply were mentioned,”
Duncan teased.
The men all laughed and made comments that had Alexander leaning
forward and sweeping them with a look that subdued their rowdy humor.
“Alas, Mary,” Duncan said, his tone mournful, “I have a weakness
which plaques me greatly.” He paused for effect then continued. ‘Tis
lasses. I like them all. Be they short or tall, stout or slender, fair of face or
plain, I find I can not resist any of them.”
“Aye. ‘Tis the reason the rest of us keep our women folk close by when
he is about,” Samuel said with a grin.
Alexander had taken little part in their jests and his displeasure was
evident in the gaze he fastened on his brother.
“It has been told to me you were raised within the MacPherson Clan,
Lady Mary,” Shamus Campbell said, introducing a safer topic from across
the table.
“Aye. My Aunt Agnes was wed into the clan to the brother of the Laird,
Hugh MacPherson. ‘Twas the two of them who raised my sister and me
from the age of six.”
“My wife was a MacPherson. Mayhap you will speak to her about the
clan when next we visit.”
For the first time all evening, a cautious smile tilted her lips. “I shall
look forward to it.”
“It has been many years since she has visited her family. Her brother
is Robert MacPherson of Cluny.”
“My sister and I often played as children with his daughters Edina and
Rose. Edina had wed and was expecting her first bairn when we were sent
to Collin MacLachlan.”
“My wife will be pleased to hear the news. I’ll be telling her as soon as
I return home.”
The next smile came more easily.
“How oft were you called home from the MacPherson Clan, Mary?”
David Campbell asked from beside Alexander.
“We were called home thrice in twelve years. Once at Christmastide
when my mother still lived. When my mother died, we returned for a week.
Then, when Collin decided to find a match for my sister.”
“‘Tis unusual for a fostered child to remain so long away from home,”
Lamont Campbell, Alexander’s uncle, said from down the table.
“We were treated like daughters of the house by my aunt and uncle. I
have no complaints to offer in that.”
“I understand your unwillingness to have our children fostered, Mary,”
Alexander commented. “You should have been welcomed home more oft.”
“‘Tis not the only reason. Duty and loyalty come more readily toward
those we have lived
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