Scottish Brides by Glynnis Campbell

Author:Glynnis Campbell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Glynnis Campbell
Published: 2018-02-06T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter 2

“Where are ye goin’, Da?” wee Colin asked as Brochan buckled on his sword over his white leine and black trews. The lad’s brows were furrowed, and his five-year-old eyes looked fretful.

Brochan hunkered down and clasped the lad’s wee shoulder.

“Nowhere. Just out to the fields. Now I’m countin’ on ye lads to keep watch while I’m gone.” He reached over to squeeze Cambel’s shoulder as well. Then he glanced up and gave his man, Rauf, a wink.

Cambel didn’t look convinced. He glanced at Brochan’s sword. “How long will ye be gone, Da?”

“Och, not long at all.”

Brochan exchanged a meaningful look with Rauf. He hoped he wouldn’t be long. If they returned, he was determined to catch the damned reivers tonight.

He was convinced now the tavern wench was right. It was reivers who’d taken his cows. The nasty thieves had already stolen five of them in as many days. Tonight he would stand watch over the herd. If the villains tried to strike again, he’d be ready for them.

“Why can’t I come, Da?” Colin asked, his green eyes serious. “I’ll be careful around the coos.”

“Me too,” Cambel chimed in. “And I’m not afraid o’ the dark.”

Brochan smiled and ruffled the twins’ unruly auburn hair that looked so like their mother’s. “Ye’re two brave lads, that’s for sure. But I need ye here. After all, ye can’t expect Rauf to watch o’er the keep all by himself.”

“That’s right,” Rauf said, lowering his gray brows to give them a stern frown. “’Tis up to us to guard the house.”

Rauf’s wife, Mabel, called out from where she was tending the fire. “I’m countin’ on ye braw lads to keep me safe.”

Brochan grinned at that. Keep her safe indeed. Mabel was as big as a tree, as strong as an ox, and as unyielding as iron. If required, she could probably roust the entire English army from the tower house.

In fact, once she heard about Brochan’s intentions to waylay the reivers, Mabel had offered to go after the good-for-naught knaves herself. But Brochan wasn’t about to let her tangle with outlaws. She was too valuable as a cook and a nursemaid to his sons to be risking her life over such nonsense.

Brochan was grateful Rauf and Mabel had come with him to this new holding. The loyal servants had been with him since the lads were born. He didn’t know what he’d do without them.

This battle with the reivers, however, was Brochan’s. He was fairly sure that reiving his cattle was his unfriendly neighbors’ attempt to chase him off.

It wouldn’t work. He was determined to stay. He’d come too far and surrendered too much to go back now. He wouldn’t let a few hostile neighbors frighten him away, especially since he had no intention of returning to the place where he’d met and married his beloved wife. There were too many painful reminders of her there.

It was best he make a fresh start. On this sizeable plot of land with its grassy, rolling braes

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