The Hellion and the Highlander

  Kade reached the top step in time to see young Laddie charging up the far end of the hall with a trio of maids on his heels. As he started after him, the lad came to a skittering halt at one of the bedchamber doors near the end of the corridor and thrust it open. The hallway immediately resounded with loud, panicked, and completely unintelligible screeches that were now joined by the loud slurring voice he'd heard heckling Aidan at the gate.

  "Come on, lass, just a quick tumble. I promise I'll make ye like it."

  Brodie! Cursing, Kade rushed forward and burst in on a scene he would not soon forget. Averill appeared to be in a wrestling match with Brodie. He was sitting up, struggling to pull her onto the bed from the far side, while she did everything she could to resist. Meantime, Bess, the source of the shrieking and wailing, was on the near side of the bed, pounding on his head and back trying to make him release her mistress.

  Laddie and the three maids had apparently come to an abrupt halt inside the door at the sight as well, but even as Kade took everything in, the boy spurted across the room, snatching up a shield that lay discarded on the floor as he went. Leaping onto the head of the bed with the heavy metal item, he swung it up, then brought it back down with a horrible gong as Kade started across the room. The action didn't knock Brodie out as the boy had probably hoped, but it certainly got his attention. Releasing Averill, he swung around toward the boy, emitting a furious roar as he did.

  Laddie's eyes became great holes of horror in his head, then he slammed the shield down again, putting every bit of weight and strength he had behind it. That time it worked. Brodie's eyes rolled up in his head, and he collapsed in a heap on the bed. Laddie immediately tossed the shield aside and scrambled across the bed to leap off on the other side and crouch beside Averill.

  "Are ye all right, me lady?" Laddie asked anxiously, catching at her arm and tugging at it in an effort to help her up even as Bess finally stopped her shrieking and rushed around the bed to help as well.

  "Oh, my," Averill said breathlessly as she sat up from where she'd fallen when Brodie had released her. "Aye, I am well, thank you, Laddie. That was very brave of you."

  "Aye, 'twas," Kade growled, as Bess and Laddie helped his wife to her feet. The maids by the door had noted his entrance as he'd passed them and begun to sidle out of the room at once. Though he noticed that while they'd taken themselves out of striking distance, they had not left completely but were peering in around the edges of the door, trying to see past Will and Aidan, who had followed him.

  Bess, Averill, and Laddie, however, had not noted his entrance and did so finally with wide eyes and surprised gasps.

  "Oh h-husband," Averill said breathlessly. Forcing a smile, she avoided his gaze by brushing down her skirt as she murmured, "We...er...I was j-just ch-checking to be sure your br-brother did not do himself an injury when he fell. Unfortunately, he woke up and...er...seemed to think I was...w-well, he th-thought..."

  "I ken what he thought," Kade growled, catching her arm and urging her toward the door. In his drunken state, Brodie had obviously thought her one of the maids and had intended to have at her. And, apparently, he hadn't cared if she was willing or not. That infuriated him. It seemed obvious he'd have to have a stern talk with the man when he woke up. In the meantime, he had a wayward wife to deal with.

  "I told ye to stay close unless I said otherwise, did I no'?" he asked grimly as he led her past Will and Aidan and into the hall.

  "Aye, and I d-did," she said swiftly. "Y-you said I c-could c-come above stairs and--"

  "And check to see what shape the rooms are in," Kade interrupted grimly. "I didna say ye could check on Brodie."

  Much to his surprise, she nodded. "Aye. Y-you are right. I should n-not have--"

  "Nay, ye shouldna," he said grimly, then paused in the hall to ask, "Which o' the rooms did ye settle on fer us?"

  She hesitated, then said, "The three at the end of the hall need only an airing, dusting, and a change of linens. The rushes are old but clean and will do for tonight."

  Nodding, he started forward again, urging her toward the last room at the opposite end of the hall, as far away from his brother's room as possible. He ushered her in, turned to close the door, and then scowled when he saw that everyone was following...everyone except for Laddie. There was no sign of the boy.

  "Where's the lad?" he growled with a frown, worried he was still in the room with Brodie and that if his brother woke up, he might be in trouble.

  They all peered around rather blankly at his question, and Aidan said, "I'll find him."

  "Thank ye," Kade muttered. "Send him here when ye do."

  Nodding, Aidan turned away to head back up the hall, and Kade glanced to Will. "I'll be down in a minute."

  Will hesitated, his gaze sliding from his stern face to Averill, who was now biting her lip, but he nodded and turned to head for the stairs. Glad he wasn't going to interfere, Kade ignored the women, closed the door, and swung around to face his wife.

  "I w-was..." Averill's eyes darted around as if seeking an escape, then she gasped with surprise when he caught her hand and tugged her up against his chest. "Husband?"

  Kade kissed her: a deep, wet one that spoke of his hunger for her and was propelled partially by the fear he'd suffered at the shrieking that had brought him running. Just as quickly as he tugged her into his arms, he broke the kiss to glare down at her. "Stay away from Brodie."

  "Aye, husband," she breathed, her voice dreamy, and she tugged his face down for another kiss.

  The bold action startled a smile from Kade that turned into a frown when a knock at the door sounded before he could even begin to kiss her in return. Sighing, he lifted his head and set her away to answer the summons. But a small smile formed on his lips when he heard her sigh of disappointment as he reached for the door handle. Promising himself he would ease that disappointment tonight, he pulled the door open and scowled out at Aidan, then dropped his gaze to the boy he held by the collar. Kade took in Laddie's wide eyes and pale face, then glanced to the women now gathered around Bess, twittering nervously a few feet away.

  Stepping into the hall to join Aidan and Laddie, he pushed the door open wider, and said to the women, "Get yerselves inside and help me wife ready the room."

  It was all he had to say. The women bustled forward and hurried into the room at once, seeming eager to escape his presence. Laddie was equally eager and tried to follow them in, but Aidan still had him by the collar and tugged him back.

  The boy's shoulders sagged, and a defeated sigh slipped from his lips when Kade pulled the door closed. He then raised sad, resigned eyes, opened his mouth to speak, found he had no voice, and swallowed a lump that had apparently lodged itself in his throat, to ask, "Are ye gonna k-kill me now?"

  "Kill ye?" Kade asked with shock. His eyes shifted to Aidan, who looked just as startled as he was, then he glanced back to the boy, and asked, "Why the devil would I do that?"

  "'Tis ag-against the laws for a p-peasant to hit a noble," Laddie said in quavering tones, then, just in case Kade had forgotten, he added, "And I hit yer b-brother."

  "Aye, he did," Aidan pointed out solemnly.

  Kade grimaced but kept his eyes on Laddie, and said, "But ye did it to save me wife, did ye no'?"

  "Aye," he admitted, shoulders straightening and mouth setting rebelliously. "And I'd d-do it again even if ye will k-kill me for it. Lady Averill is nice and p-pretty, and he's a nasty mean c-cur even if he might be me d-da."

  Kade stiffened. "Yer da? Brodie's yer father?"

  All of the stuffing went out of the lad, and he shrugged unhappily. "Me ma s-said he w-was."

  Kade stared at the boy, now seeing the family resemblance. He had the Stewart features, and the same red hair as Brodie and Gawain, though his was darker. His eyes were also the same deep green as Kade's sister, Merry's, and his own. Mouth tightening, he asked, "Who's yer ma'?"

  "B-belle," he answered sullenly.

  "She was a chambermaid here,
" Aidan said quietly.

  "'Was'?" Kade asked with a frown.

  "Died last month," Aidan said, face grim. "When the laundress took to her heels, the maids started trying to do the washing. She lost her balance and tumbled in the vat while stirring the clothes over the fire. Burnt something awful she was, died a week later."

  After days of pain and suffering, Kade thought grimly. His gaze slid over the boy's ratty clothes and dirty face. "Who tends ye now?"

  Laddie shrugged dully.

  "The maids look after him some," Aidan answered. "Keep him out of harm's way when they can."

  Judging by the bruises the boy sported, that wasn't often, and Kade wondered if his brother even knew the lad was his spawn...or cared. Sighing, he shook his head and straightened. "I'm no' killin' ye."

  Laddie glanced up hopefully.

  "In fact, I sent fer ye to commend ye fer defendin' me wife," he said solemnly. "'Twas verra brave. Ye'll make a good soldier one day, and I'll see ye squired in a year or two."

  Laddie sucked in a long breath at this news, his eyes starting to shine.

  "Until then, though," Kade added firmly, "I'd have ye stay close to me wife. She'll teach ye manners and other things a knight needs to ken, and ye can guard her for me as ye did today."

  "With me life, me laird," the boy vowed, the shine in his eyes becoming tears of gratitude.

  Kade shifted uncomfortably under the adoration beaming from the boy's eyes, then nodded sternly.

  "Go on, then, keep an eye on me lady wife," he ordered, turning to open the door for him. The women in the room paused in their nattering to glance toward the door as Laddie rushed inside beaming, and Kade added, "Make sure she doesna leave this room without me say-so."

  "Aye, me laird," Laddie said importantly, then ruined it by smiling so wide Kade feared he'd split his face.

  "B-but, husband," Averill protested, rushing across the room.

  The moment she stopped before him, Kade bent and gave her a kiss. It was quick, but thorough, and her eyes were closed, a little sigh slipping from her lips as he lifted his head.

  "Aye?" he asked.

  Her eyes blinked open, confusion in their depths for a moment, then she seemed to recall her protest and frowned. "I cannot stay here. I need to see to a room for Will as well."

  Kade nodded slowly, but his mind was on the fact that her stammering had not continued after the kiss. It was not the first time he'd noted that a simple kiss from him seemed to make her forget to be self-conscious and stutter. It seemed he'd just have to kiss his wife a lot to distract her from herself. A terrible duty that, but he was man enough to tend to it, he thought with a grin.

  "Husband?" she prodded, scowling now.

  Forcing himself to the matter at hand, Kade cleared his throat, and said, "Fine." He glanced over her shoulder to Laddie. "She may travel betwixt this room and the one she's chosen for Lord Mortagne, but nowhere else without me permission."

  Averill gave a gusty sigh of disgust, but Kade merely kissed her forehead, pulled the door closed, and headed for the stairs with Aidan.

  Chapter Eleven

  Averill scowled at the door her husband had just closed, then turned to survey Laddie and the women in the room. She'd just been getting acquainted with them when Kade had interrupted to let the boy in and give his ridiculous order. Aside from Bess, there was a thin young maid named Lily, with lank mousey blond hair and dull eyes. Morag, a middle-aged woman with dark hair and a face that looked as if it had not smiled in a very long time, and an old crone with wiry grey hair and the sweetest smile she'd ever seen. Her name was Annie.

  Averill smiled wryly to herself. She'd sent Laddie for mead or cider, and he'd returned with the last three maids left in the keep to explain why there was none. It seemed Laird Stewart saw no need for mead or cider now that his daughter was gone. Ale and whiskey were all that were on offer in the castle. That was something she would need to see to quickly, Averill decided, but it would mean a trip to one of their neighbors, for she'd already been told there was very little in the village. Since their laird never bought any, no extra was made, and the remaining villagers at Stewart made enough only for their own consumption.

  Sighing at all the problems quickly becoming apparent, Averill took a moment to feel sorry for herself. But then her usual positive spirit reasserted itself, telling her it was better to be Kade's wife with a heap of trouble to sort out, than Cyril's wife and with probably a whole different set of worries--ones that couldn't be fixed with a bit of time and elbow grease.

  "Right!" She straightened her shoulders. "Let us set this room to rights and move on to my brother's so that the men can bring up our belongings."

  The women nodded and burst into activity. With her, Bess, the three maids, and even little Laddie helping out, it went very quickly. Although it might have gone quicker still had Laddie not constantly tried to help her. Every time she picked up something or began to dust an item, he was there trying to aid her. In truth, while she found it sweet, it was a bit exasperating, too. The boy was constantly underfoot, staring up at her with adoring eyes, his chest puffed out from pride like a rooster's. His stammering had halted, however. It only occurred a time or two as they worked, and only when he addressed Morag. He seemed to find her intimidating.

  "There," Averill said, as she and Bess finished making the bed in Will's room sometime later. "I think we are finished."

  "Aye, 'twill do for now." Bess straightened and glanced around the room with satisfaction, but then scowled as her gaze moved down to the floor. She toed the rushes they stood on, and added, "Though I wish we could do something about these rushes."

  "We can tend them tomorrow...or perhaps the next day," Averill murmured, thinking they could wait until after she got in some mead and cider.

  "Will ye need us anymore, me lady?" Annie asked, moving toward the bed at a pained shuffle. The woman suffered terrible arthritis, but she hadn't let it slow her down. She'd worked just as hard as the rest of them.

  "Nay, Annie. Thank you," Averill answered. "With just the three of you, I know there must be duties you are neglecting while here. Go on and tend them."

  Nodding, the maid turned and led the other two women to the door. Averill watched them pensively, then glanced to Bess when the maid commented, "Annie seems a nice one, but the other two are a grim pair."

  "Aye," she agreed. "Mayhap you could try to catch Annie away from Morag and Lily at some point in the next day or so and find out why."

  "I can tell ye why," Laddie said eagerly.

  Averill glanced to him, one eyebrow raised. "Can you?"

  "Aye. Me ma and Annie used to fret over it." He paused, his expression turning serious as he tried to recall what he'd heard, then said, "Lily was to marry the blacksmith's son, ye ken. She loved him somethin' fierce. But then me d--Laird Brodie," he corrected himself. "He took a shine to her one night while in his cups and wouldna take no for an answer. When the blacksmith's son, Robbie, found out, he called off the wedding. She cried and begged, but he said as how she knew better than to be caught by the goat when he was drinkin' and--"

  "The goat?" Averill interrupted uncertainly.

  Laddie flushed, but admitted in a mutter, "That's what they call me d--Laird Brodie. The randy, red goat."

  "I see," Averill murmured. "Pray, continue."

  "Well." He frowned, trying to regather the threads of his story, then shrugged. "He just said as how she must ha'e wanted to be caught, and he'd no raise the goat's bastard."

  "She's with child?" Bess asked, eyebrows rising.

  "Nay." Laddie shook his head, but then added, "She was but lost the bairn ere it was grown in her. Lily ain't been right in the head since."

  "I see," Averill murmured, and sighed unhappily. She was really beginning to dislike Brodie Stewart. "And why is Morag--?"

  "Morag is Lily's ma," Laddie said, as if that explained it all, and Averill supposed it did.

  Shaking her head, she straightened her shoulders. "Wel
l, thank you for telling me, Laddie. It explains a good deal, I shall--"

  A sudden curse in the hall made her pause. Averill glanced toward the door the maids had left open just as a group of men were struggling past. Her eyes widened on the unconscious man they carried, then she rushed forward. "Husband!"

  Her cry made the men pause at once, and without further ado they changed direction and carried him inside.

  "One of the maids said yours was the room at the end of the hall," Will complained as they moved past her.

  Averill didn't bother to explain that this was supposed to be his room. They were much alike anyway, and she was too desperate to find out what was wrong with Kade to wait while they carried him back out and to the next room.

  "What happened?" she asked, moving up beside the bed to peer down at her husband as the men laid him down and shifted out of the way.

  "One of the stones fell from the curtain wall and caught him unawares as we were surveying the bailey," Will answered grimly, moving up on the opposite side of the bed to peer down at Kade. "Fortunately, he had just turned and started to move away, and it merely sheered the side of his head and hit his shoulder. Had he not moved when he did..."

  Will left the consequences unspoken and merely shook his head, but Averill didn't need him telling her what might have happened. The stones used to build the curtain wall and castle were huge and heavy; one hitting him square would have killed him. As it was, there was a nasty, long, bloody gash just behind his ear, she saw, turning his head for a better look, then removing his tunic to see what damage had been done.

  "I need water and my medicinals," Averill murmured. She was vaguely aware of Bess moving to fetch her medicinals while one of the men moved out to the hall to bellow down the stairs for one of the maids to bring water, but most of her attention was on Kade as she brushed his hair out of the way the better to see his injury.

  "How bad is it?" Will asked quietly.

  Averill was silent as she bent to better examine the head wound. It was bleeding quite freely, but she didn't think the damage was as bad as she'd first feared. There was a large bump, and some skin and hair had been sheared away by the boulder, but it would not need stitching. However, while it didn't look bad, that didn't mean all would be well. Head wounds were infamously tricky to deal with.