Sacrificing his Highland Heart by Kenna Kendrick

Chapter Twenty-Seven

When the last injured man was carried to the area of the castle designated for the sick, Euan stood up and felt a sharp pain in his back and shoulder. He barely noticed the pain during the battle; he had been so fueled by hurt. But now, it came upon him with a vengeance.

Siobhan was working tirelessly, hovering over the men and speaking to them in soft tones. She recruited a couple of servant girls to assist her and brought Margaret from the village, which made Euan tense at the sight of her. On the brink of battle, he had thought about Margaret, and here she was before him, rushing from patient to patient, barely sparing him a glance. It didn’t seem real.

But when Euan groaned a little when he felt a pang of sharp pain in his back, and he put a hand there, and Siobhan hurried to his side. “What ails ye, Euan?” she said, concern etched on her face.

Euan shook her off. “Naething. There was some pain after the farming day, and I didnae tend tae it. There was nae time tae tend tae it, nae with a bloody Englishman on my doorstep,” he grumbled.”

Siobhan grinned. “Lift yer tunic, lad, so that I can see ye have nae cut yerself, and donnae realize it.” She lifted a brow at him when he tried to protest, and so he did as she said.

Siobhan moved her fingers over the spot that hurt, and she made low sounds of agreement in her throat. “I think that ye might have torn or injured a muscle. I have a peppermint salve for ye that ye will put on day and night tae ease the pain.” She hurried away to a low table where she had kept a leather bag. After a few seconds of rummaging, Euan wanted to run away. She returned, holding a clay jar. “Here. Ye will take it, and do as I say,” she said in a firm tone. “And ye must rest, of course.”

“Och, Siobhan, ye have restricted me tae a fate worse than death.”

He winced at his complaint, for the sounds of those with grave injuries were in the air. She crossed her arms. “Is that so? Well, I should have added more tae the punishment.”

“For what?” Euan asked, surprised.

“Naething. Now go, surely ye have a wife and a brother-in-law tae tend tae.”

He grumbled something under his breath, and when Siobhan asked him what he said, he merely replied, “Go and see Walter, Siobhan. Surely he should like tae see ye.”

Siobhan’s eyes opened wide, and she looked like she would like to hit him, so Euan scurried away to safety, clutching the peppermint salve in his hand. “Rest, she says. Peppermint salve, she says.”

He didn’t like the thought that perhaps old age was slowly beginning to raise its ugly head. He had trusted in his strength and power for so long that at 26, he thought he had more time to do as he pleased and trust in his body to do what it needed to do. He was shaking his head when he met Walter in one of the passageways.

“What a day we have had, old friend.”

“Aye, but it is complete, for now. Siobhan is here, so now all we can do is let everyone rest.”

“Siobhan is here?” Walter asked, his face growing pale.

“Aye,” Euan sneered. “What is it, lad? What happened between the two of ye? I told her tae go and see ye, and she nearly looked as if she wanted tae tear my head off.”

Walter swallowed. “Naething. I was merely a fool.”

“Sounds about right tae me.”

Walter shook his head. “Go on up tae yer chambers. I have heard from the servants that the feast is soon ready, and Henry Sayer and Rose will be in the hall very soon.”

“Fine.” With slow, labored steps, Euan wandered to his room, trying to fight through the fatigue. He would need enough strength to get through the dinner with his wife and brother-in-law, and he would have to tell Henry that even though they didn’t really complete their battle, Henry had won.

“She will have tae go back tae England with him,” he sighed as he dipped a cloth into the water basin in his room. There wasn’t time for a proper bath. Even though he said the words, he wasn’t feeling them as strongly as he had before. But he couldn’t back down now and make himself look yet again like a fool. Rose had done that, made him look a fool, and expected him to let her jump back into his arms without any consequences. No, that would not do at all; she had to go.

But perhaps she could stay.

Euan grumbled at his traitorous mind. “I donnae want tae think about it any longer,” he said to himself as he cleaned up as best, he could from sweat, dirt, and blood and dressed in clean clothes. He knew that after the feast, he would drop into bed and sleep the next day away. They had wasted a whole night on the battle, and they had to work the whole of the next day to clear out the injured and dead.

It was time. He left his weapons behind as another gesture of good faith, and he felt empty-handed as he walked down to the hall. He furled and unfurled his fists, desperate for a pint of ale to wash down the rest of his discomfort. What was he to say to the idiot Henry who had cost the lives of some of his men? True, there had been more losses on Henry’s side, but didn’t the man deserve it?

As he approached the hall, he could hear voices, even merry ones, talking, and he took a breath before pushing through the wooden doors to enter. In the center of the room, at a long table covered in a dark green cloth and tall white candles, sat Henry, Rose, Walter, and surprisingly, Siobhan. But by the look of Henry’s and Siobhan’s faces, they weren’t the cheery voices that Euan had just heard.

They all turned to look at him when he entered the room, and he slid into his space at the head of the table. “How do ye fare, Euan?” Siobhan asked.

“All is well.”

“Have ye used the salve yet?”

“Nae, nae yet.”

“Och, ye will need someone else tae put it on for ye and massage yer muscles.” Siobhan’s angry expression fled, and a smile took its place.

“Salve?” Rose asked, and he felt her fingertips brush against his arm for the briefest of moments. “Ah, for the muscle ailments that you told me about in the library?”

“Och, aye, I suppose,” Euan said awkwardly, and his other hand moved to rub his neck.

Walter grinned. “Well, I am certain we can find someone tae assist ye with yer salve, Laird Euan.”

Euan scowled, and Henry said drily, “Is this how all Scots talk? In secret code when we know very well what you are saying?”

Euan sighed and turned his eyes back to Henry. “Nae. But do all English talk as if they have a stick shoved up their arse?”

Walter and Siobhan chuckled, and Euan was satisfied to see even Rose smiling. Henry glowered. “I suppose we think little enough of each other,” he said stiffly. “Especially now.”

“Aye, especially now, lad. When ye have come tae have a wasted battle with me.”

“If it was wasted, then why did you fight me?” Henry taunted. Euan saw Rose reach out to her brother as if to stop his foolishness. But there was no stopping it.

“What was I tae do? Let yer boys run through the castle killing and maiming at will? When I am attacked or invaded, it is the first instinct tae fight back.”

“Until a woman comes and prevents you,” Henry jeered.

Euan’s expression grew dark. “Ye have caused yer sister tae threaten her own life, lad,” he said, his fingers curling around the knife on the side of his plate.

“Aye, sounds good enough tae me,” Walter replied, reaching out to pull a chicken leg from one of the plates in the center of the table. In Euan’s fatigue and fear, he’d hardly noticed the food. Now, looking at it, he could smell its warm, delicious scent, and he realized just how hungry he was. He filled up his own plate, letting Walter continue to spout his nonsense. “Aye, I would always stop a battle for a woman if she wanted me tae.” Euan rolled his eyes when he could see Walter looking at Siobhan. His tension eased.

Siobhan gave him a look of disgust, but Rose nodded. “I am glad we are in agreement on this, Walter.”

“Only for now,” Henry added, tearing at a piece of chicken, his brow furrowed.

“What do you mean, Henry?” Rose asked, and Euan could hear the tension in her voice.

“I mean that I have not yet had my revenge. And I mean to be satisfied.”

* * *

Rose wanted to scream and lunge at her brother to shake him until he stopped being just as Euan said: An Englishman with a stick pushed up his arse. Why was he so set on this matter? Why could he not let things be as they are? Rose was certain that if she genuinely found something disagreeable in her life, Henry would not be there to rescue her. Somehow, he was likely to think it was her duty. But now that she actually enjoyed what fate had dealt her, Henry was unsatisfied and wanted to prove his manhood and ruin her life completely.

“What on earth do you mean, Henry Sayer?” Rose said loudly and firmly. Everyone turned to her. They were so surprised by the tone in her voice.

Henry was unfazed, even if surprise showed on his face for a few precious seconds. “I mean, Rose, that I do not like the way things have turned out here. There is no reason for you to be aligned with this Scotsman, and if he is willing to listen, he will soon see reason. You will return with me.”

Rose spoke before anyone else had a chance to if someone else was going to say anything at all. “We will talk later about this, Henry. You can depend upon it. Because you do not seem to understand that I wish to stay here, as I told you in the battle.”

Henry waved her away like he usually did, and she wanted to take hold of her fork and push it into his shoulder. But she refrained. “You are only saying this because you have been brainwashed like I said.”

Rose tried to protest, but Henry waved her away again. “We will discuss it later. Right now, we are enjoying the feast since I am a guest in your noble home.” He smiled in that annoying, smug, and strange way he sometimes did when he realized he was getting his way. Rose shivered with anger. She and her brother had never really seen eye to eye, but this was too much. She was the lady of a clan, and he treated her as if she was nothing more than something to pack up and take home again. As if her opinion didn’t matter.

Rose turned to Euan, who was eating, and when they met eyes, he said nothing. But he looked very, very displeased. That was at least something, even if Rose was hurt that Euan had not jumped to her defense.

“Ye are a bit of an arsehole, are ye nae?” Siobhan said suddenly, and Rose turned to see her looking straight at Henry. There was silence for a few seconds as everyone registered what she said, and then Walter, Euan, and Rose burst into laughter. Henry’s growing anger at being the butt of the joke only made her happier. She would deal with him later.

Walter wiped the tears of laughter out of his eyes, and he said to Siobhan, “Quite right, lass. Well said. Now,” he added, clearing his throat and facing Henry. “tell us something about yer land, young Sayer. We shall talk of easier subjects for the rest of the meal. It is difficult for one tae be angry or unkind when their belly is full, and wine is dulling their senses.” Walter grinned, and Rose was suddenly eternally grateful that he was there to save the day.

She knew that Siobhan would take her aside later and scold her for forcing her to come along to the meal, but Rose knew it was for the best. She didn’t know what had happened between Walter and Siobhan, but she was determined that they get over it. She could tell they cared for each other and were merely being stubborn.

Not unlike yourself and Euan.

Rose quieted her inner voice. She didn’t want to think about it just then, how Euan had rejected her once again. It seemed to have become a habit of his.

Thankfully, Henry didn’t say anything in anger again but answered Walter’s question about land and animals and people that worked the farms. Rose listened with half an ear, but she didn’t say anything. She was far too focused on Euan’s warm presence to her right, and every so often, she looked his way to find him looking at her. She could only bear to look into his blue eyes for a few moments before looking away.

She had told the truth to everyone at the table and told them she wanted to stay. It was different when she was in the middle of the battle. She felt like she was only speaking to Euan and Henry, and her heart was beating so fast, she didn’t have time to think about the embarrassment. But now, fighting with her brother in front of everyone had forced her to repeat it. She wanted to stay; she loved Euan, and she wondered if he was reconsidering it now. He wasn’t looking at her angrily or with hatred but more like she was something he had to puzzle out.

After a while, Euan turned away from her and turned to Siobhan instead. The conversation had died, and he seemed ready to take over. “I ken that ye may kill me for this or take yer vengeance, but I have a question that has naething tae do with war or anything like that.”

“What is it?” Siobhan asked, trying to appear strong, but Rose could see her paling.

“Why do ye nae regale us as tae why ye and Walter are at each other’s throats again and why Walter looks like a lovesick puppy?”

Rose covered her mouth with her hand in surprise, and Walter narrowed his eyes. This time, it seemed that Henry and Euan were the only ones amused.