her. “Here’s an oatcake for you,” he said, staring into her eyes as he reached out and handed it to her. “My guess is you have not been eating much.”
Heather reached for the oatcake, her mouth watering at the mere thought of food, let alone the sight of it. “My thanks. I have not eaten.”
Torrian added, “I remember what my sire was like when I fell ill. He barely left my side for years. You must take care of yourself, as well. ‘Tis probably in your best interest to return to the keep with us for a short time.”
Heather paused for a moment to consider their offer. Torrian was right—she’d stayed by Nellie’s side ever since the fever struck, and she hadn’t given food much thought. She’d barely had the strength to run to the Ramsay keep today.
“You’ve left the cave unguarded, lass.” Torrian tipped his head toward the two spears she kept nearby in case any animal came inside the cave, along with a pile of rope and strings she usually tied across it to keep the smaller birds and animals at bay.
She gasped at the realization that she’d left without placing any ropes across the opening. Nellie had been in the cave without any protection. Tears flooded her eyes at her poor judgment. “We’ll come along. Many thanks.”
Torrian reached down to help her to her feet. “You’re overtired, too. Brenna will watch over her so you can get some sleep. You wouldn’t have forgotten the rope when you left if you’d been rested.”
Her gaze locked on his as she stood with his help, and his green eyes offered her something she’d hadn’t experienced in over five summers—comfort and support. And for the second time that day, Heather let herself lean on someone.
***
Quade, Torrian, Logan, and Gwyneth sat gathered in the laird’s solar. Two of Quade’s top guards, stood to the side. Torrian’s da had asked them to his solar to remind them of the importance of always being aware of what took place outside the keep.
Quade sat behind his desk, rubbing the leg that had been bothering him lately, then waved his hand toward the door. “You may go, Seamus. I know you and Mungo will make sure the guards are doing their jobs as always. Just do not allow them to get distracted by idle chatter.”
Unfortunately for the Ramsay guards, Quade had been in the lists with his men when the lass almost ran through their small village without any of his guards at the gate noticing. He was aware of everything.
“Chief, we’ll make certain they understand. My apologies for failing you,” Seamus bowed and turned to leave, Mungo trailing behind him.
As soon as they left, Quade added, “Not that a lass of her size was truly a threat…”
Logan barked, “Her size is of no import. What matters is she almost made it past four of our guards. Torrian was the first to notice her, and he had his back to her. There are many different ways to start an attack, and distracting our guards could be one of them. We must not lose our vigilance.”
“All right, Logan. You’ve made your point, and ‘tis a good one. Now, since the lass is here, what else do we know of her? What clan is she from?”
Torrian filled them in. “We know only what little she’s told us. She lives in a cave on the edge of our land, and she does not identify with any clan. She’s been staying there with her daughter of four summers. I suspect she ran away from some situation. Nellie is four and she’s been in the cave for three years. She must have gone to the cave soon after giving birth to her. She says there is no husband, and she’s happy there. Though she’s agreed to stay here until the wee lassie is better, she does not wish to stay permanently.”
Quade thought for a moment, his fingers steepled in front of him. “‘Tis all you’ve discovered about her?”
“Aye, there is one more thing, but I’d prefer if you do not mention it to the lass. She has the same eye color as Loki.”
“Two different colors?” Quade
Heather reached for the oatcake, her mouth watering at the mere thought of food, let alone the sight of it. “My thanks. I have not eaten.”
Torrian added, “I remember what my sire was like when I fell ill. He barely left my side for years. You must take care of yourself, as well. ‘Tis probably in your best interest to return to the keep with us for a short time.”
Heather paused for a moment to consider their offer. Torrian was right—she’d stayed by Nellie’s side ever since the fever struck, and she hadn’t given food much thought. She’d barely had the strength to run to the Ramsay keep today.
“You’ve left the cave unguarded, lass.” Torrian tipped his head toward the two spears she kept nearby in case any animal came inside the cave, along with a pile of rope and strings she usually tied across it to keep the smaller birds and animals at bay.
She gasped at the realization that she’d left without placing any ropes across the opening. Nellie had been in the cave without any protection. Tears flooded her eyes at her poor judgment. “We’ll come along. Many thanks.”
Torrian reached down to help her to her feet. “You’re overtired, too. Brenna will watch over her so you can get some sleep. You wouldn’t have forgotten the rope when you left if you’d been rested.”
Her gaze locked on his as she stood with his help, and his green eyes offered her something she’d hadn’t experienced in over five summers—comfort and support. And for the second time that day, Heather let herself lean on someone.
***
Quade, Torrian, Logan, and Gwyneth sat gathered in the laird’s solar. Two of Quade’s top guards, stood to the side. Torrian’s da had asked them to his solar to remind them of the importance of always being aware of what took place outside the keep.
Quade sat behind his desk, rubbing the leg that had been bothering him lately, then waved his hand toward the door. “You may go, Seamus. I know you and Mungo will make sure the guards are doing their jobs as always. Just do not allow them to get distracted by idle chatter.”
Unfortunately for the Ramsay guards, Quade had been in the lists with his men when the lass almost ran through their small village without any of his guards at the gate noticing. He was aware of everything.
“Chief, we’ll make certain they understand. My apologies for failing you,” Seamus bowed and turned to leave, Mungo trailing behind him.
As soon as they left, Quade added, “Not that a lass of her size was truly a threat…”
Logan barked, “Her size is of no import. What matters is she almost made it past four of our guards. Torrian was the first to notice her, and he had his back to her. There are many different ways to start an attack, and distracting our guards could be one of them. We must not lose our vigilance.”
“All right, Logan. You’ve made your point, and ‘tis a good one. Now, since the lass is here, what else do we know of her? What clan is she from?”
Torrian filled them in. “We know only what little she’s told us. She lives in a cave on the edge of our land, and she does not identify with any clan. She’s been staying there with her daughter of four summers. I suspect she ran away from some situation. Nellie is four and she’s been in the cave for three years. She must have gone to the cave soon after giving birth to her. She says there is no husband, and she’s happy there. Though she’s agreed to stay here until the wee lassie is better, she does not wish to stay permanently.”
Quade thought for a moment, his fingers steepled in front of him. “‘Tis all you’ve discovered about her?”
“Aye, there is one more thing, but I’d prefer if you do not mention it to the lass. She has the same eye color as Loki.”
“Two different colors?” Quade
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