Scottish Beauty

Chapter Eighteen - Scottish Beauty

"Hummph," was all Angus replied with.

All four of them now....looking at Andrew and Emma, they could see that she was coming around.   Breaths of sighs could be heard between them.

"He's become a blubbering fool now," Grant shook his head as he spoke, still looking down towards Andrew stilled cradling Emma in his arms.  "Does he always weep like a bairn over his wife?"

"Ye watch your mouth," hissed Ian coming in defence for his brother.

"Find laird he'll make, weeping over his wife whenever she swoons." Grant retorted with a smirk, still shaking his head in annoyance.

Before Robert and Angus could reply to Grant's wrong assumption, Ian once again stepped in.   Standing in front of Grant, his fists clenched at his sides..........."Ye dinna know nothing about Emma.......ye dinna see her lying in a pool of her blood, ye dinna see what she went through to recover from her injuries."   Ian was fuming now, breathing hard, trying hard not lose control............"Twas my heart in my chest when I saw her lying like she was in your arms............I'm very sure Andrew felt the same way, tis his wife and ye dinna know how much he loves her.    Ye dinna have the right to judge either one of them!"  And with that he shoved Grant in the chest, stepped around Robert and his Da and went straight to the castle.

Grant stood there, mouth hanging open.  Never in all of his nineteen summers has he ever seen Ian act the way he just did.   Ian was the calm one out of all them, he was quiet, kept to himself, never had conflicts in his life because he avoided them at all costs.   Grant was amazed at the transformation of his older brother.    His confidence, his willingness to protect his family was outstanding.  Deep down inside, Grant was proud of the changes he just witnessed in Ian.

"I dinna believe I recognized him," Grant muttered as he rubbed his hands through his hair.   "He's changed........ changed for the better."

"Aye....he has....all due to Emma," Robert told Grant.   "I'm warning ye now, dinna speak badly about Emma or Andrew again, ye will have me to deal with as well."  Robert's glare was cold as ice.

"Aye," Grant nodded breathing a sigh........"I believe I learned my lesson."   And with that Grant made his way up to the castle, Robert and his Da following behind.

The evening meal was a somber one.   Ian refused to dine with the rest of the family and remained in his chamber.   Emma went to lie down for a headache was coming on.   The rest of the McKenna's ate in silence with their fellow clansmen in the hall.

"How long are ye home for?" Angus asked Grant as he continued eating.

"I dinna know yet.   I told King Jamie that I dinna know if I was going to return or not," Grant replied shrugging his shoulders, poking at the food on his trencher.

"I want ye to stay here, ye dinna have to spend so much time at court," Angus told him sternly.

"Why?" Grant asked his Da.

"Why?" Angus asked flabbergasted that his son would ask that.   "Ye are my son, ye are a McKenna......ye belong here.   Tis why!" Angus almost bellowed.

"I enjoy being at court.....," Grant started to say but was cut off by his Da.

"Aye....I know how much ye enjoy being at court.  Ye think that I dinna have someone keeping an eye on ye?" Angus told Grant and watched as Grant's opened his eyes wide with astonishment.   "Ye go from one skirt to the other, I dinna like it."

Grant didn't have much to say about that.    His father was right, he was going from skirt to skirt........most of the woman at court were willing to warm a handsome knight's bed.    He wasn't sure what he was going to do.  He was enjoying being at court, he was enjoying all the attention he was getting from the lasses.   Him and King Jamie got along very well, as Grant did with the rest of knights.