Highland Chieftain (Book 5)

Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Larena was ready to throw the large book, full of expensive paper in the fire and let the whole thing burn. The growl seeping from her throat was not the most lady like sound she had ever made either. "It just will not add up." Throwing the quill in place of the more expensive bound paper, though less satisfying, "I swear it is doing it on purpose. Why did I ever agree to this?"

A slender hand picked up the sharpened feather from where it had fallen upon the hearth stone. "You are doing this to make sure you have the skills your new clan will need from you. And because as much as you are loathe to admit it, you do enjoy the work." The wry smile upon Aislinn's face showed a sense of humour which Larena had never understood before she had got to know her sister as she had done in the last few months. "You have been doing so well, let me see what you have done. See if I can help out with what is going on here."

Leaning back in the large chair, Larena let out a long suffering sigh as Aislinn leaned over from the side to go over her calculations. "I know your right Aislinn. I do enjoy this work, and being useful. But it just gets so frustrating when it will not add up. I have spent the morning doing the sums and it just won't add up."

The chuckle was unexpected and caused the frown to deepen upon Larena's face.

"Now, that is the look I remember from when we first met Larena." The serene smile upon Aislinn's face did not make her feel better at the moment.

"Why do you find this predicament so amusing?" It was a tad short, but she could not control her tone as the frustration simmered deep within.

"I may have been in collusion with Isla and Camdyn." Aislinn looked away on those words.

"Oh aye, collusion about what?"

"That maybe, possibly, we needed to give you a test, see if you were up to the job as chatelaine." Before Larena could make a sound, Aislinn was already defending their actions. "You as well as we need to be sure you can find issues with the books as it will not always be plain sailing in a Keep the size you will be moving too." Larena could see why they had done it, but the frustration was still simmering below the surface.

"And what be the verdict then?" Arms folding rather slowly over her chest.

"Great news, you passed. Knew there was a problem. The only thing you could not find was the actual problem and that was because we kept it from you. The information you have gone over 4 times now is all as good as it can ever be."

"Oh aye. What information am I missing then?" An eyebrow was raising this time. And the frustration was not melting, especially in the face of Aislinn's humour.

"We may have taken some of the information from the wool sales that needed to be added in." Aislinn's hands went up in supplication. "But you were on the track to finding it, just threw your quill a little too soon." The smile was enchanting and wrapped Camdyn around her finger. But Larena was having none of it.

"Well then. In that case let me have the information and leave me to the work." She knew she was being unreasonable but she had spent a morning knowing there was a problem and it had been a set up.

"Actually, I am here to do more than add in the missing information. I will add it in myself. I know you did not miss the warning earlier of riders. What you do not know as you never left the problem at hand, is that your betrothed is currently awaiting your presence down below." The laughter followed Larena as she shot out of the room as quickly as was possible. So this was the reason they had been so secretive recently. The numerous letters over the last few days. Kendrick had not mentioned this in his last missive to her, they were all keeping secrets and yet she could not find anger in herself. Only a joy that he was here once more.

It had been a little over a month since she had last seen Kendrick. His father needing him home to help with the training of their men. Or some such reason. She did not care about the whys only that he had left her here, where she had taken up more work in the last month than in the entirety of her life. She needed the skills and the time in order to learn them. But as she reached the bottom of the staircase, her sight zeroed in upon her betrothed as he laughed at something one of the twins had said.

Slowing down to add some decorum to her stature, she paced evenly across the wide room. Sly grins being thrown in her direction, from clan mates who had somehow in the last few weeks become if not friends, then friendly acquaintances. Not knowing how to react to these people, she carried on heading towards the person who had her attention in the suddenly overly crowded room. It was as she was half way across that he finally turned in her direction, his eyes hitting hers with stunning force and capturing her all over again. This time he was hers and everyone was aware of it.

Knocking Artair's hand from his arm, Kendrick ignored all the looks which were being thrown in both of their directions and strode across the hall in her direction. She could not keep the smile from her lips. Yet the moment he was upon her, his lips descended upon hers and the embarrassment wiped out a little of the joy of seeing him once more. Did he not realise it was not proper to act so in front of so many eyes?

Pulling away quickly, he only smiled wider as remarks were thrown at them that were not of a delicate nature. His arm circling her waist as she glowed with her embarrassment. She barely paid attention as Kendrick called back good naturedly and pulled her over to one of the long tables set out for evening meal. Both taking a seat on a relatively secluded part of the bench. Accepting a mug of mead each from one of the servers, before they were left alone in their own bubble once more.

Kendrick looked once more upon the element of his desire. Over a month since he had last seen her and her cheeks still flushed with being the centre of attention. It was a strange thing to behold when he thought back to the shallow girl others had seen at one time. But this woman before him was very much the one he had always known her to be. Picking up her slender hand in his much larger calloused one, he felt the wear that was being put upon her own hands now she was taking responsibility within her clan. Kissing the backs of those fingers which held the noticeable stain of ink upon them, he chuckled at the stain which swept across her cheeks once more as she looked furtively around to see who had seen.

Keeping her hand firmly tucked in his own, he picked up his mead and took a healthy swallow. He had pushed his men and horses on the journey here, but his mouth was still dry, with grit clogging his throat.

"Larena, I am afraid that I have already talked with your brother in the village. So he is aware of what I am to say." Her brow furrowed in confusion.

"What I mean to say is, I apologise for you not being the first to know." He smiled and her face softened, trusting him with whatever news it was he had to bestow. "I have managed to contact a priest, he will be here late spring or early summer and will most delightedly preside over our nuptials if you so wish it?"

"As in we will be married within the next few months?" Her hope shone clearly in her eyes and he could not contain his own joy. Nodding slowly he awaited her full reaction. With a squeal of delight and threw herself into his arms. Standing on impulse he threw her around in a circle, Artair's voice called out over the clan.

"We have a marriage to plan it seems." The cheering of the clan reached the eaves above and the joy was almost as painful as the years spent in separation. Yet together it was as it should be.

Leaving her to her clan's people. The certainty of their marriage finally sinking in for all. He found himself once more beside Artair. "I hear that I am not the only one in need of congratulations." Raising his eyebrows he looked once more at his friend.

Artair only grinned from ear to ear. All the pain he had been through, that he would talk of with no one but his wife, was finally disappearing from his eyes.

"You will make a great father Artair. I only ask that you tell me the truth of the experience, for I do not believe Hamish and Cam have been truthful." Both of them gave a knowing look before laughter over took them. Artair sobered as he spotted his wife in the crowd of well wishes. The smile on his face softer than Kendrick could have ever imagined.

"I hope that God may keep your woman safe in the coming months."

Artair nodded his thanks, before adding his own. "And I hope that God gives you the happiness in your marriage that I have found in mine."