Shaw finally stopped the wagon and everyone piled out. They were deep in the woods with tall trees all around them.
“What do we do now, Da?” asked Leith.
“We look for the best wood to make a bow.” Shaw took a look around, then came back to the wagon and picked up a sack that held the tools they would need. Then he walked through the forest with the rest of them following.
“I’ll use this big stick for my bow,” said Colina, picking up a gnarled and knotty branch.
“Nay, that’s no’ good,” Shaw told her. “It needs to be straight and sturdy.”
“Is there a certain type of tree we’re lookin’ for?” asked Donel, seeming genuinely interested. “Didna ye say the bow ye made with yer faither was from the rowan tree?” He turned and glared at Spring. “That is, the bow that Spring stole from grandfaither’s dead body?”
“Stop it,” warned Shaw, scoping out the area. There were a lot of really straight trees here that would work well. He’d often come to this area to gather supplies when he constructed his bows and arrows. “We want a good, hard wood,” he explained. “The best types are from the yew, hickory, ash, red cedar, or black locust trees.”
“How do we ken which trees those are?” asked Colina.
“I’ll help ye,” offered Spring. “I ken about all the different types of trees in the forest.”
“Ye do?” Shaw was surprised to hear this.
“Aye,” she told him. “Some of the elders of the clan passed down the information that was from my Viking ancestors.”
“Ye’re a Viking?” asked Leith with wide eyes. “I thought they were terrible people. But ye’re nice.”
Donel showed his disagreement with a puff of air from his mouth.
“I’m just a descendant of the Vikings,” said Spring. “I’m also a Scot just like all of ye.” She reached out and ruffled Leith’s hair, making him smile. Shaw could see a change in Spring since they’d married. He glimpsed a softer side of her every so often and would like to see it more.
“I see a lot of good, straight trees in this area,” Shaw told them, throwing down the bag. “Everyone grab some tools. We need to cut them down.”
“We’re cuttin’ down one of these?” asked Colina, looking way up to one of the highest trees in the forest.
“Well, we could use a big tree and then split the wood,” Shaw told her. “But today, since it is the first time any of ye have made a bow, we’re goin’ to use green saplin’s instead. Now, make sure ye are careful because the knives are sharp.”
“Have ye ever made a bow before, Spring?” asked Colina, choosing her knife.
Shaw was curious to know that answer as well.
“Nay, I havena,” she said. “We always had plenty of weapons and didna need more. But I’ve always wanted to learn.”
“My da is the best bow maker in all of Scotland,” bragged Donel.
“No’ as good as yer grandda,” said Shaw.
With Shaw and Spring’s help, the children soon had their saplings cut. “Now, ye need to take any branches off yer staves and trim down the ends,” he told them, demonstrating how to do it on the one he was making. “Try no’ to trim away anythin’ from the back of the bow, because that will make it weaker. Keep yer cuttin’ to the belly of the bow only.
“Which side is the back of the bow?” asked Donel.
“The back is the side that faces the target,” explained Spring. “The belly is the side that faces ye when ye shoot it.”
“That’s right,” said Shaw, impressed with Spring’s knowledge of the weapon after all.
“What about the bark?” asked Donel.
“Ye’ll need to peel off the bark like this,” said Shaw, using his fingers to demonstrate.
“Where is Spring’s bow?” asked Colina. “Are no’ ye goin’ to make one, too?”
“I dinna need one. I’m here to help ye,” she said, sounding very selfless. Shaw liked that. It said a lot about his new wife.
They spent a good amount of time on trimming down their bows. Shaw was fast with his and was able to help the others. Leaving a grip in the center, they’d made sure both ends were tapered and trimmed.
“How’s this?” asked Leith, holding up his bow.
“Let’s see,” said Shaw, taking it and inspecting it, running his hand over the wood and weighing the balance as well. “This side needs a little more work,” he told him, patting the bow. “If both sides are no’ even, the bow willna bend the same under pressure.”
“That’s right,” agreed Spring, helping Colina. “It’s crucial.”
“What about the bowstring?” asked Donel once they’d finished.
“I could show ye how to make the string from the bark of the trees, but since my stomach is growlin’, we’ll just use the twine I brought with us.” Shaw dug the twine out of the bag. “Ye’ll need to cut notches at each end of the bow and then tie the string on tightly.”
“Where do the notches go?” asked Donel, looking at his bow.
“I’ll help ye since yer faither is workin’ with Colina,” said Spring, heading over to him. Donel held his bow close to his body.
“Nay. I’ll wait for my faither.”
Shaw looked up to see the disappointment in Spring’s eyes. She was trying hard to make friends with Donel, but the boy would not accept her. Shaw wanted to change that, but had no idea how to make things better.
“Mayhap, I’ll go get the food ready,” she said softly.
“Nay, Spring. I need ye to help the children string the bows.” If Shaw let her walk away now, she wouldn’t come back to help them again. “Can ye explain to them how to do it?” He was trying to get her more involved and wanted the children to ask her questions so she wouldn’t feel left out.
When they were ready to string the bows, Spring demonstrated with Colina’s bow. “Once the knotted string is in the notch, ye put the tip of the bow on the ground and use yer foot, so it doesna move.” She did what she instructed. “Then ye step through the bow and put yer weight against it as ye pull, to create tension.”
Shaw watched as she stepped through the bow and stuck out her rump to put tension on the bow as she strung it. All he could think about was how alluring she looked in such a position.
“Did ye want to show them how to test the tension of the bowstring while I get the food?” Spring’s words dragged him from his fantasies of seeing her do that later with no clothes to block his view.
“Aye,” he said, shaking the thought from his head. He showed the children how to test the tension and use their fist and thumb to measure the correct distance between the string and the belly of the bow.
“We did it!” cried out Leith, holding his bow in the air.
“I want to ken how to etch the designs into it and how to wrap it in leather,” said Donel.
“We’ll cover that once we’re back at the castle,” said Shaw, sitting on the back of the wagon to eat the food that Spring had laid out. “After lunch, I’ll show ye how to make arrows.”
Shaw felt happy spending time with his children. He was also glad that Spring was there, too. She would never be Alpina, but she filled the void, making them, once again, a family.
The children had hearty appetites, and talked and laughed, and even seemed to get along with one another.
“I want more bread,” said Donel, reaching into the basket, but it was empty. Spring had the last piece in her hand. She was about to take a bite but instead handed it to Donel.
“I’m no’ hungry anymore,” said Spring, giving Donel the bread. “Ye can have this piece.”
“Nay.” He shook his head and his disposition became dour.
“Son, Spring is offering ye some bread,” said Shaw. “Take it.”
“I dinna want it anymore,” he complained.
That stopped the happy atmosphere and everyone became quiet.
“It looks like rain,” said Spring, glancing up at the sky. “I’ll start collectin’ some straight branches to use as arrows before we all get wet.” She put the bread down and pushed it closer to Donel, not saying a word about it. As soon as she left, Donel picked up the bread and eagerly shoved it into his mouth.
“Clean up this mess,” Shaw told his children. “Then start collectin’ branches for arrow makin’. We’ll take them back to the castle and finish up on the morrow.”
“Why canna we finish today?” asked Donel. “I’m eager to use my bow.”
“Because . . . it’s goin’ to rain.” Shaw couldn’t think of anything else to say. He was just in a hurry to return to the castle because things between Donel and Spring weren’t going so well.
“The sky is blue, it is no’ goin’ to rain,” complained Donel, looking upward.
“Dinna argue with me, Son.” Shaw didn’t think it was going to rain either, but he wanted to back up Spring’s words. As the children spread out to look for straight branches to use for arrows, Shaw headed down to the creek to look for his wife.
Spring hurried down to the creek, wanting to get away from the others. They were all having such a good time, but it seemed like Donel would never accept her. She supposed she would feel the same way if another woman had ever tried to replace her mother.
She had a great time today with Shaw and his children. Shaw was so knowledgeable and talented, and she admired him more every day. She’d actually started feeling as if they were a family. Part of her had longed for that feeling her entire life.
Even though she had her clan, her brothers, and her father, it always seemed like something was missing. Today, that empty spot was filled just from spending the day with Shaw and his children. He was a good father and she respected that. She had never thought she wanted children of her own, let alone get married. But today, she started wondering what it would be like to birth Shaw’s baby.
She shook her head, not knowing where this thought was coming from. She’d never needed a man in her life before but, lately, she had started wondering if she was wrong. There was an aching in her heart that she hadn’t felt for a very long time now. She was part of the Gunn Clan, but never really felt as if she belonged there. With the Gordons, it was all different. She was the enemy and an outsider, so why did she feel as if she fit right it? The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to stay.
“Spring,” said Shaw, surprising her and making her jump.
“Aye?” She turned around to see him staring at her.
“I didna think anythin’ could surprise ye and make ye jump.”
“It’s the weather,” she lied. “I always get that way before a good rain.”
He glanced up to the sky and shook his head slightly. “I dinna think it’s goin’ to rain today.”
“Did ye follow me here to tell me ye dinna believe me again?”
“Nay.” He stepped forward and reached out for her. Startled, and always on the defense, her hand shot out to block him. “Spring, calm down. I was just goin’ to brush the hair out of yer eyes.” He reached up gently and pushed a stray lock behind her ear. She lowered her head, feeling her eyes becoming wetter.
“Thank ye,” she said softly.
“Ye are my wife. Ye dinna need to thank me. But I would like to thank ye for tryin’ so hard to win over Donel.”
“What do ye mean?” She looked up and blinked her eyes. She felt a tear slide down her cheek.
“Lass, somethin’ is botherin’ ye. What is it?” He wiped away her tear and gently kissed her on the forehead.
“Nothin’,” she said. She tried to step away, but he pulled her back into his arms.
“I dinna want ye to be unhappy.” He lifted her chin gently and kissed her, making her feel as if everything were going to be all right. Her eyes closed and her arms went around his neck as she kissed him in return. His kiss held care and passion, and that only made her heart hurt more. Her eyes opened slowly and she stared up into his hazel orbs, getting lost in the sensuality of his hooded eyes as well as his smile. She might have kissed him again, had she not seen Donel watching them from behind a tree.
“Donel,” she whispered and pulled away. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips and savor his essence.
“I plan on finishin’ what we started after we return to the castle,” he told her. Then his hand glided across her arm as he turned and walked away.
Was that a hint of promise in his voice or was it a warning? Either way, it made her heart soar. Perhaps another night of making passionate love with her husband was just what she needed to clear her head and be able to think things through.