Shaw excused himself from the festivities in the great hall after the meal, no longer wanting to have to listen to everyone congratulating Spring on her shot earlier.
He headed toward the door, passing by the large crowd of people standing around his new wife, asking her how she’d managed to split the arrow.
“Leavin’ so soon, my laird?” asked Leod, spotting him at the door.
“Aye.” He cleared his throat. “I’ve got a long day planned tomorrow since I’ll be takin’ the shipment to the rest of our clan in the Lowlands.”
“I thought I was doin’ that,” said Leod, sounding confused. “I’m the one who always takes our shipment to Lothian.”
“Well, I’ll be doin’ it instead. Now, if ye’ll excuse me, I’d like to get some sleep.”
He made his way to the bedchamber, wondering what to do about Spring. She would be coming to the chamber soon and he wasn’t sure they should make love again. They’d shared a special moment yesterday, but today she’d shamed him by outshining him on the practice field. He would never hear the end of it from everyone how a woman bested him.
“Bid the devil,” he spat, sitting on a chair and pulling off one boot, throwing it across the room. He’d never felt so humiliated in his life. He had hoped to go to sleep before she arrived and then sneak out in the morning before she awoke. If so, he wouldn’t have to make the decision of whether or not to make love to her tonight.
He stood up and pulled off his leine. As he was reaching for his belt, the door opened and Spring walked in, stopping in the doorway. Their eyes met but, as usual, she said nothing. There was still light pouring in the window. He regretted the fact he wouldn’t even be able to hide away from her in the cover of the night.
“Come inside and close the door,” he told her.
She closed the door and made her way across the room. “What are ye doin’?” she asked.
“What does it look like I’m doin’? I’m goin’ to bed.”
She glanced at the light coming in the window and nodded. “Oh, I see.” Then she walked over to the window and closed the shutter, lighting a candle and putting it next to the bed. He dropped his plaid and slid beneath the covers. When he looked back at her, she was pulling off her clothes.
“What are ye doin’?” he asked.
“What do ye mean?” She dropped her clothes onto the chair, standing before him stark naked. Damn, why’d she have to do that? Now, all he could think about was coupling with her again. “I suppose ye’ll want me to fulfill my role as yer wife again.” She slid onto the pallet next to him and lay flat on her back with her legs opened wide. “Go ahead,” she told him.
“Losh me, Wife, why do ye have to act that way?” He didn’t think he could feel more humiliated than he already did, but she’d just managed to make him feel worse. She acted as if he were a monster that would demand she lay on her back each night while he had his way with her. As if it was naught but her duty.
“What way?” She pushed up on one elbow. “Since the sun has yet to set, I imagine the only reason why ye’d be goin’ to bed was that there was a need ye wanted me to fulfill.”
“Nay! That’s no’ why I’m in bed.”
“Then what is it?” She did her blinking thing again that was a cross between innocence and being snide. He wasn’t sure what to think.
“I’m goin’ on a trip on the morrow and just wanted to get a good night’s rest since I’ll be leavin’ at the crack of dawn.”
Silence. He turned on his side and closed his eyes, thinking it was the end of the conversation, but he was wrong.
“So where are we goin’?” she asked.
“Ye are no’ goin’ anywhere. Ye’ll stay right here until I return.” He talked with his face smashed into the pillow.
“All right, if that’s what ye wish. I’ll stay here and take care of yer children instead.”
His eyes popped open. Mayhap this wasn’t such a good idea after all. If he left her here without his supervision, she’d be teaching Colina how to shoot an arrow as well as wrestle a full-grown man to the ground before he returned. And who knows what would happen where his sons were concerned. They still didn’t seem to like her. He knew it had to have been his boys who suggested Spring shoot against him, probably just wanting to start trouble. If they did something to anger her, she might haul out and hit them. Nay, it would be better if he kept a close eye on her.
“Get some sleep,” he mumbled into the pillow. “We leave at dawn.”
* * *
Spring headed toward the stables just before daybreak the next morning with all three of Shaw’s children in tow. The sun was just starting to rise on the horizon and the sky was a beautiful shade of orange.
“Why did we have to get up so early?” asked Leith, rubbing his eyes as he walked.
“Does Da ken ye’re doin’ this?” asked the older of the sons, Donel, being suspicious as always.
“Dinna talk so loud, Donel,” Colina complained, stifling a yawn. “Ye are hurtin’ my ears.”
“Dinna tell me what to do or I’ll hurt more than yer ears.” Donel reached over to hit his sister on her arm, but Spring’s hand shot out and grabbed him, keeping him from doing it.
“Let go of me,” said Donel, trying to pull out of her hold.
“Treat yer sister with a little respect,” she warned him, still holding tight. “Ye are her older brathair and should be watchin’ out for her instead of tryin’ to hurt her.”
“I do watch out for her,” said Donel, looking up into her eyes.
“It doesna seem like it to me.”
He made a face. “Well, mayhap I dinna, but who are ye to tell me what to do?”
“I’m yer mathair now, like it or no’,” she said, letting go of his hand.
The boy scowled at her and rubbed his wrist.
Shaw headed to the stables right at sunup, strapping his weapon belt around his plaid as he walked. Spring wasn’t in bed when he awoke and he had the feeling, again, that mayhap she’d run back to her clan. He thought she’d be satisfied that he was taking her with him on his trip, but perhaps she wasn’t. He started wondering if she had felt scorned when he didn’t even try coupling with her last night. Now, he was starting to regret his decision.
He turned the corner to see Spring with his children, and he heard her telling Donel that he needed to protect and respect his sister. He stopped and watched and listened. A smile spread across his face. She’d told the children she was their mother. While he knew that would not sit well with the boys, he was at least glad she considered herself their mother.
He also liked the way she was firm with Donel. Shaw hadn’t been very good with disciplining his children ever since their mother died. He hadn’t wanted to upset them more, but mayhap Nairnie was right. Perhaps it was possible he hadn’t been living up to his expectations of being a good father.
“Da!” cried out Leith, spotting him and rushing to his side. “Spring dragged us out of bed and made us come out to the stable.”
“She’s tellin’ us what to do,” added Donel, hurrying over as well.
He liked the fact his boys came to him, but Colina was staying close to Spring. He still had a lot of work to do to strengthen the bond between him and his daughter.
“Spring?” he asked, walking over to join her. “Why did ye wake the children?”
“I thought ye’d want them to come with us on the trip. After all, they are yer family. Leod told me ye are takin’ a shipment to the rest of yer clan that resides in the Lowlands.”
“Oh, Da, I’m so excited,” said Colina, no longer looking tired. “I’ve always wanted to go to the Lowlands. Thank ye.”
“Me, too,” said Leith. “Ye’ve only taken Donel there and I want to see the Lowlands as well.” He glared at Spring. “But does she have to come with us?”
“Yer children have never been to the Lowlands?” asked Spring, sounding very surprised. His children sounded so excited about the trip, even though he hadn’t planned to take them with him. Now that Spring had made it sound like it was his idea, how could he disappoint them?
“I’ve been to the Lowlands,” said Donel. “Therefore, I’m no’ goin’.” He crossed his arms over his chest in a motion of finality, upsetting Shaw by his behavior.
“Yes, ye are goin’.” Shaw headed into the stable and the others followed. He met Baen and Leod who were filling up a cart with the shipment. The stableboy was hitching up the horses.
“Da, I’m no’ goin’,” complained Donel.
“Ye have to go,” said Colina.
“Nay, I dinna.” Donel reached out and hit Colina on the arm. “Now shut up.”
“Donel!” Spring stood with her hands on her hips. “What did I tell ye about the way ye treat yer sister?”
“Ye’re no’ my mathair! And I hate ye.”
“Me, too!” added Leith.
“Donel! Leith!” Shaw gripped the boys by the shoulders of their leines. “Apologize to Spring.”
“Why should I?” spat Donel. “She’ll never take the place of Mathair. I hate her. I dinna want to go anywhere with her.” Donel broke free and ran from the stable.
“Leith?” Shaw still held on to his youngest son.
“I’m sorry,” said Leith with his eyes cast to the ground. “But Da, does she really have to come with us?”
“Aye. She does.” He looked up to see Spring staring at him, waiting for him to do something about Donel. He understood what a hard time Donel was having but, still, he shouldn’t have spoken that way. “Get the children into the wagon,” he told Spring. “I’ll go talk with Donel.”
He headed back toward the keep wondering what to say to his son. Donel didn’t want anyone replacing his mother and Shaw couldn’t blame him. Getting married again was supposed to solve Shaw’s problems but, instead, it had only created more.
“Come, Colina and Leith, we’ll wait for them in the wagon,” Spring told the children. Baen drove the wagon out of the stable with one horse pulling it and an extra horse tied to the back. Then Leod started fastening down a tarp that covered up the shipment.
“What are we takin’ to the Lowlands?” she asked Leod, curious as to what was under the tarp.
“We take food, supplies, and weapons to the rest of our clan that resides in the Lowlands,” Leod explained. “They are no’ within the protection of the castle walls, so we need to make sure they are safe.”
“Weapons?” she asked. “What kind of weapons?”
“Take a look.” Leod pulled back the tarp, showing Spring. She was taken aback by what she saw. Atop barrels and bundles were a half-dozen bows and many arrows. Each one was beautifully etched and decorated much like the one she used.
“These are beautiful.” She pulled an arrow out of one of the quivers and ran her fingers along the shaft. It was light and smooth and had small flowers etched into it. “Where did they come from?”
“Shaw made them.”
“He did?” She looked up in wonder.
“Aye,” said Leod. “Our father taught him the craft. They used to make bows and arrows together.”
“So I’ve heard.” It took her breath away to see a weapon of destruction looking like a work of art. She thought she was the only one that had a weapon like that. Now she could see that Shaw wasn’t lying. He really had helped his father make the bow and arrows that she’d stolen. No wonder it meant so much to him.
“All right, let’s go.” Shaw walked up behind her. “Children, get in the wagon. We should have been on the road by now. It’s a long journey and we will have to stop at an inn for the night. We should arrive there sometime tomorrow.”
“I want to ride next to Spring,” said Colina.
“I dinna want to sit anywhere near her,” grumbled Leith.
“Ye’ll both ride in the back with Baen. Spring will ride up front with me,” Shaw told them.
Spring was happy to hear that Shaw wanted her next to him, but she thought it would be better if she sat with the children and tried to work on getting Leith to like her.
“I’d like to ride with the children in the wagon,” she said.
“Ye do?” Shaw didn’t seem to like the idea.
“I’ll be able to keep an eye on them better that way.”
“Yes, I suppose so. Baen, ye’ll ride in front with me, then.”
“Aye, my laird,” said Baen, hopping up to the driver’s seat as Leod tied the tarp down over the shipment. Leith got into the back of the cart and Colina grabbed Spring’s hand.
“Come on, Spring. We can play a game on the way there. I ken a game where we spy things along the road.”
“Mayhap Leith will want to play as well,” said Spring, following Colina into the back of the wagon.
“Never. No’ with ye,” said Leith, frowning and leaning over the opposite side.
They had just left the castle when Spring noticed Shaw constantly looking over his shoulder. At first, she thought he was looking at her, but then she realized he was looking farther down the road. He turned around and she heard him tell Baen that someone was following them.
Sitting up straight, she scanned the area, glimpsing two riders on horseback that were wearing the Gunn plaid. She immediately knew they were her brothers.
“Shaw, stop,” she shouted.
Shaw stopped the wagon and started to dismount with his hand on the hilt of his sword. Baen did the same.
“Nay, wait!” She flipped her body over the side of the cart and ran to them.
“We’re bein’ followed and I’m goin’ to take care of this,” said Shaw.
“It’s only my brathairs,” she told him, putting her hand on his arm. “Let me talk to them, please. They are probably just missin’ me, that’s all.”
She didn’t think Shaw was going to agree, but then he nodded slightly. “Go fast. We want to make it to the inn before the sun sets. It’s no’ safe for the children to be sleepin’ along the road at night. If ye are in any trouble, just call out.”
“They’re my brathairs. They willna harm me.”
“It’s no’ ye I’m worried about.” Shaw’s eyes traveled to his children. “I dinna usually bring the young ones along because there might be bandits on the road and it’s dangerous. I’m no’ sure this is a good idea.”
“I understand.” Now she knew why Shaw didn’t let his children travel with him. She thought it was neglect but, in reality, it was overprotection.
She ran to meet Bodil and Egil who emerged from the woods when they saw her coming.
“What are ye doin’?” she asked, once she approached them. “Ye are goin’ to cause trouble. Now, get back to the camp.” She hoped her father wasn’t in the woods as well. She didn’t want to talk to him yet.
“Faither sent us to find out when ye’re goin’ to help us get inside the castle walls,” said Egil.
“Shhhh,” she warned and glanced back at Shaw, glad he was too far away to hear them. “Tell him I need more time.”
“He’s impatient,” said Bodil. “He said he found a weakness on the battlements. Only one guard is posted at night and we could take him quietly with an arrow and no one would even ken.”
“Ye mean I could take him with an arrow,” said Spring. “No one else in the clan can shoot that far.”
“Then ye do it,” said Bodil. “Afterwards, ye can open the gate and let us in.”
“Nay.” She glanced back at the children. She would feel terrible if anything happened to them. “It’s no’ time yet. Now go back and wait. I’ll let ye ken when to move in.”
“Mayhap now is the right time after all. Ye’re leavin’,” said Egil. “With Shaw gone, it might be easier to attack.”
“Nay!” she said, a little too loud. She checked to make sure Shaw hadn’t heard, then finished speaking in a softer voice. “It’s no’ time yet. We’re no’ goin’ to be gone but an hour,” she lied, not wanting to let them know they’d be gone for a few days. “I’ll sneak out and come to our camp when the time is right. Now please, just leave. Ye’re goin’ to arouse suspicion.”
“Nay, we willna,” said Bodil, looking up at Shaw and nodding. “We’re friends now.”
“That’s right,” said Egil, waving at the children. “We’ve got an alliance thanks to ye. Shaw Gordon willna suspect a thing.”
“Dinna be so sure about that.” She turned and headed back to the others.
Shaw didn’t like the fact Spring’s brothers were following them, hidden in the woods. If it had been a friendly visit, they would have made their presence known. Something was amiss.
“I’m ready to go.” Spring hopped back into the wagon.
“Were those yer brathairs?” asked Colina.
“Aye,” she answered.
“What did they want?” asked Leith.
“It was just a friendly visit, naught else. Now, shall we play that game while we travel?”
“Do ye believe that?” Baen whispered to Shaw.
“No’ on yer life.” Shaw sat back down and took the reins. “I think we’ll go back to the castle,” he announced, getting disappointed complaints from his children.
“Nay, I want to go on a trip with ye,” said Colina.
“Me, too,” added Leith. “Faither, ye promised.”
Spring’s head shot up and she stared at him intensely. He felt it all the way down to his toes.
“Is there a problem?” she asked. “Does this have somethin’ to do with my brathairs? Dinna ye trust them?”
His children were both staring at him the same way as Spring now and he didn’t know what to say. His new wife had put him in a very awkward position. If he admitted he didn’t trust them, Spring would be angry with him. He already had enough trouble with her. And if he went back on his promise to take the children to the Lowlands, that could be a problem, too. The children were so excited that he didn’t want to disappoint them. Nairnie’s words kept ringing in his ears that he needed to work harder to be the father his children wanted him to be.
He turned around and talked to Baen under his breath. “Go back to the castle and tell Leod to double the guards at the gate. I dinna want the Gunns attackin’ when I’m no’ there to protect it. Tell them to keep a close eye on the surroundin’s day and night. If there is any doubt at all, have them close and lock the gate until I return.”
“But it’s no’ safe if I leave,” said Baen. “The dangerous part of the woods is comin’ up. What if ye meet bandits on the road?”
“Reed and some of the others from the Lowlands always meet Leod halfway on this trip. They ken we’re comin’ and should be here soon, so dinna worry.”
“Aye, my laird.” Baen got to the ground and started to walk.
“Where are ye goin’?” asked Spring, getting out of the wagon.
“I – I . . .” Baen’s eyes shot over to Shaw.
“Baen’s not feelin’ well and is goin’ to skip the trip after all,” Shaw told her.
“Really.” Spring’s eyebrows raised and her face remained stone-like.
“Goodbye, children, have a fun time,” said Baen sounding much too cheery for feeling ill. He hummed to himself as he started to walk back to the castle.
“I think Baen should take the extra horse back to the castle if he’s no’ feelin’ well, dinna ye?” Spring said.
Suddenly, Baen doubled over and moaned, remembering he was supposed to be ill.
“He can walk.” Shaw sat down, preparing to go. “We’re no’ that far from the castle. Besides, I like to have an extra horse in case anythin’ happens along the road. We’ll switch them out so they dinna get too tired on the journey. Now, get back in the wagon, Spring, we need to go.”
She stood there with her arms folded over her chest, just staring at him. It ate away at him and he let out a huge sigh. He talked to Baen without looking at him. “Take the damn horse, Baen and get goin’.”
“Aye.” Baen untied the horse, mounted, and rode back toward the castle.
“Now, get back in the wagon, Wife, or I’ll leave ye here.” He started away without waiting. Before he knew it, she ran up alongside the driver’s seat and pulled herself up to sit next to him.
“I thought ye wanted to ride with the children.” He looked straight ahead when he spoke.
“I changed my mind.” They continued their journey in silence for a while and then she started up with the questions. “How often do ye make the bows and arrows?”
So, she’d seen the shipment. Why didn’t that surprise him?
“Whenever I have the time.”
“Is it hard to do?”
“No’ for me.”
“I’d like ye to teach me how to do it.”
He chuckled and she didn’t seem to like that.
“What’s the matter? Canna ye teach anyone? Or is it too hard for ye to do that?”
“Of course, I can,” he said, keeping his eyes on the road. “I can teach anyone.”
“Just not a woman.”
“That’s no’ true,” he protested. “I said I could teach anyone and I mean it. I could even teach the skill to a child if I had to.”
“That’s wonderful. I think ye should.”
“What?” He turned and looked at her in confusion.
“Children, yer faither is goin’ to teach ye how to make a bow and arrows,” she called back to them.
“Wait! I dinna say that.” Why had she twisted his words?
“Da, I canna wait,” said Colina, standing up in the cart.
“I want to learn, too,” said Leith, never wanting to be left out.
“Now look what ye’ve done,” Shaw grumbled.
“I think it’s a fine idea.” That little smirk was back on her face again. “Ye said ye could teach the skill to women and children, and now ye’re goin’ to be able to prove yer boast.”
He was about to complain again when she glanced at the road and her eyes opened wide.
“Stop!” she shouted, causing Shaw to pull back on the reins. His daughter was standing and ended up falling atop the tarp inside the wagon. A man was lying on the road, face down.
“Da, there’s a man in the road and he looks like he’s dead,” said Leith.
“He’s no’ dead,” said Shaw. “It’s a trap. Hold on, everyone, we’re goin’ to get the hell out of here.”
“Wait, Shaw,” Spring begged him. “What if the man has been robbed and is hurt?”
“Why would ye say that? Ye ken better than me what this is all about.”
Spring knew Shaw was right. This had all the signs about it of being naught but a trap. Still, the vision was stuck in her mind of Shaw’s dead father looking up at her with sad, frightened, hollow eyes.
“Ye’re right,” she agreed, pushing aside her emotions, coming back to her senses. “These woods are full of bandits.” She scanned the area, looking for men.
Shaw directed the horse around the man on the road. Just as they passed by, the man jumped up, grabbing Leith from the cart and holding a dagger to his neck.
“Nay!” cried Spring.
Shaw stopped the cart and was off of it with his sword drawn in a second.
“Leave my son alone,” he warned.
Men appeared from both sides of the road now. They didn’t seem to be from a clan, but rather just bandits, working together.
“Take one step closer and I’ll slit his throat,” the man warned. Leith whimpered.
Spring’s heart jumped and her hand instinctively went to her side to grab for her bow. Of course, it wasn’t there. She did carry a dagger on her waist belt and would use it, even though she didn’t like blades.
“Take the wagon and the girls as well,” the bandit ordered his men.
Shaw fought the bandits like a madman as they swarmed around him, six to one. A man approached the cart and Spring kicked him in the gut and hit him over the head.
“Take Colina and get out of here,” Shaw yelled. “Hurry!”
“Nay, I willna leave ye or the boy.”
“Da!” shouted Colina, poking her head up over the side of the wagon.
“I like wee lassies,” said one of the men, reaching for Colina. Without thinking about it, Spring took her dagger and flung it at the man. The blade stuck into his chest and he released the girl. Colina screamed.
“Get down!” Spring shouted to Colina, as she crawled over the driver’s seat and into the wagon to get to her. Shaw now fought off four men at once. She felt helpless and needed to do something quick.
Ripping the tarp off the shipment, she grabbed a bow and arrow. One by one, she let the arrows fly, taking down one man after another. The horse became spooked and took off without a driver. Spring almost fell from the cart.
“Colina, I need yer help,” she shouted.
Colina was crying and hid her face in her hands.
“Get up,” Spring said, dragging the girl to her feet. “I need ye to crawl over the driver’s seat and grab the reins and stop the horse.”
“I canna,” she said, her voice quavering.
“Do ye want to see yer faither and brathair die?”
“Nay!” She cried harder.
“Then do as I say. I need to keep shootin’ and we’re gettin’ too far away. Now hurry.”
“I will.” Colina momentarily forgot her fear. She climbed over the bench and reached the reins, managing to stop the cart.
Spring saw the man who had grabbed Leith. He got on a horse and starting to ride away with the boy. He was getting further away every second and she had to stop him. This wasn’t her bow but she had to make it work. Scooping up an arrow and raising the bow, she closed one eye and cocked her head. Then she let the arrow fly, managing to hit the man in the back. He pulled back on the reins and his horse reared up. He fell, along with Leith, to the ground.
She saw Shaw drop the last man and race toward his son. But then another half-dozen men emerged from the woods and it didn’t look promising.
“Hold on, we’re comin’,” came a loud shout from behind her. A Scotsman with red hair barreled down the road with three men on horses following him. Coming to the rescue, he jumped off the horse and started fighting the bandits.
“Stay here and keep yer head down,” she told Colina, running to Leith and Shaw.
“How is he?” she asked, coming to Shaw’s side. Shaw was hunkered down, checking his son.
“He hit his head pretty bad when he fell, but I think he’ll be all right.” Shaw stood up with his son in his arms.
“Give him to me.” Spring threw down the bow and held out her arms.
“Ye . . . saved my life,” said Leith, looking up to Spring with grateful eyes.
“Give him to me,” she said again. “Ye might be needed to help the men who came to our rescue.”
Shaw placed his son in her arms and Leith held on around her neck. “I’m sorry I said I dinna want ye for a mathair,” Leith apologized. “I changed my mind. Now I do.”
Spring felt an odd sensation in her chest and her throat suddenly became tight. She couldn’t answer, even if she wanted to. Leith no longer hated her. He wanted her for a mother. Why did it feel so damned good?