The sight of MacKenzie Keep was a welcome one, and all the men cheered the moment the keep loomed in sight, spirits invigorated. "Just one more night out here, lads, and we'll be back home by noon tomorrow!"
With renewed vigor, camp set up was done quickly for the day, but Hammond couldn't help but notice Connor's increasingly morose look as he meandered around the campsite. One look at Evie once again seated next to the fire with Fabian, confirmed the laird's suspicions that they were once again avoiding each other, much to his annoyance. By now, even a blind man would've been able to notice the simmering attraction between the two. Hammond had half a mind to just abandon them to sort out their problems as they rode home.
Deciding to try to help one last time, the redhead laird wandered towards his friend and commander and shoved his shoulder, laughing as Connor cursed. "Ye look like someone killed yer dog again. What happened?"
"I told her to stay. She said nae."
"Why?"
"She... said she has her responsibilities. She told me that if I were to wed her, I would have to stay in Cavalon Castle, and take up the duties of her father as the Viscount."
"And ye dinna like that? Do ye want to stay as captain your whole life then, friend? Ye know ye can be so much more. Ye were once a laird in training. Ye would be laird today, had yer clan not been disintegrated by the English."
"And ye expect me to take on the mantle of an English lord, even after ye know that?" Connor retorted hotly. Hammond raised a brow, and smacked his friend, speaking up before Connor could react in anger.
"Cavalon Castle is at the edges of the Highlands, Connor. Ye could easily come back anytime. Whoever said ye had to join their silly Parliament even if yer lord?"
Silence. Hammond took a chug of the ale he held in one hand, and passed half of it to the other. "Here, ye look like ye could use it."
Turning on his heel, the laird was just about to head back to the campsite before Connor called out. "What about ye, laird?"
"What about?"
"Miss Amelia. I saw how ye two were back in the castle. Why did ye not bring her back with ye?"
Hammond paused, unable to help his mind hurtling back to the final day they were at Cavalon Castle, when he had stolen Amelia away for a few moments in a hallway.
She had been beautiful that day, even dressed in her simple servant's garb of serviceable brown and her brunette curls tied up. He hadn't been able to resist her laughter as she worked in the kitchens, and had almost toppled the basin of water she was carrying when he snatched her by the waist into a darkened alcove.
The lips he savored on her however, was only his to enjoy for the briefest of moments, before Amelia had shoved his chest away, much to his surprise.
"Do ye not return my affections, Amelia? I had thought we exchanged many a conversation. I feared I was going to commit the crime of favoring my cousin when I still thought you were Evelyn Verrick."
"My Laird, I... I am honored, but I canna."
"Yer brogue comes out when ye are flustered, Amelia. I know it. Why?"
"I canna." she paused, averting her eyes from Hammond. He was dear, she knew. But she also knew she found him attractive only because of how alike he looked to her dead husband, and she knew it would be unfair to him. At the age of twenty nine, Amelia was married for all of five years before her husband was diagnosed and taken away by consumption.
He had been a bonny and braw Lowlander seeking work in the castle, ending up as a kitchen boy when Amelia was thirteen, and working his way up to a footman. They had been a childhood romance, but when Geordie was buried six feet under, Amelia wasn't sure if she could find anyone like him.
Now that she had though, she wasn't sure if it was because he was like him that she was attracted to Hammond MacKenzie, or not.
"Tisn't fair to you, laird."
"Canna I be the judge of that?"
"My duty lies to the castle, and to me mistress, Laird MacKenzie. I canna."
Hammond's features were tight by then, wound together by frustration and hurt at Amelia's continuous denial of his offer. He took a step back, and then another. "If I were to insist, lass?"
"I will avoid ye, laird. Tis a memory of my husband that I fear would be a disservice to ye if I agree."
"Would ye live the rest of ye life alone, lass?"
"Would ye be content if I continuously compared ye to my dead husband?"
Silence. Hammond saw the truth in his words, but could not deny the hurt that came with it. While he would say he didn't mind now, he doubted he would be able to live with it five or ten years down the line, when he still wondered if she would compare him to her husband, or whether he was simply a substitute for a dead man.
Recognizing why she denied him now, he let his arms drop from holding her shoulders, but could not wipe the frustrated look on his face. "I leave on the morrow, Madam Kinloch. It's been a pleasure, thank ye."
After five long weeks of travel and being away from Amelia, Hammond would say he was much better now. The first week, he knew he had been a nightmare to be around, but the more he was in the Highlands, the more the air of his birth land reinvigorated him. Connor had reminded him, but he was surprised to find the memory of the dark haired lass now only brought a wistful smile to him, and nothing else.
"I tried, friend. I had the courage. Do ye have the courage to take a lass who loves you, and all the problems which comes with it?"
With a lass, knowing smile at his captain, he grinned and walked back to campsite, leaving the brooding Connor to his thoughts as he took a seat next to his redhead cousin, gratefully accepting the bowl of stew from her. God, he couldn't wait to return to his roasts and pudding once they got back to the Keep. If Hammond had been alone, he would've pressed on, but he was a just laird who didn't wish to exert his men.
"Does he not wish to sup, cousin?"
"Him?" Hammond threw a look over his shoulder upon Evie's quiet query, and chuckled. "Leave him to his thoughts. He'll search for food when his stomach growls."
Unable to resist chancing a look at him, the redhead bit her lip when her chest twisted within herself again, settling on her haunches. "What happened to the two siblings in the woods? You didn't harm them did you, Hammond?" she asked, searching for any excuse to distract herself from the painful subject that was Connor's silent denial. In truth, a part of her had hoped that he would proclaim her heritage too small of a matter to distract him from her, from being with her. But how could she expect one so proud as he, to push aside his own life, for her?
"They are fine. I left them our provisions, which was why we've been having such meagre meals since yesterday night."
"Would they be alright alone though? Co- I have been warned on the dangers in the Highlands."
Her cousin laughed at her worry, shaking his head. "Dinna worry lass. Highland lasses and lads are well trained to protect themselves. Although I did mention that should they ever need help, MacKenzie Keep wouldna say no to their entrance."
Hearing that, Evie breathed a sigh of relief, returning to picking at her meal. She hadn't had the appetite, ever since her argument with Connor that day. Food was uninteresting to her, a fact that had not gone unnoticed by Fabian, who rarely ventured from her side. Knitting his brows when he noticed Evie was once again, picking at her food, the male nudged her while asking, "Are you ill, Evie? You haven't been eating well."
"No, I'm fine. I just... maybe I just... miss Father, I think." It wasn't entirely a lie, even if it wasn't the whole truth. While Fabian harbored foolish hopes that marrying her would help his family estate however, he was no fool.
Flicking his eyes at the brooding captain, and then back at the lady who was placed under his care on this trip, Fabian finally sighed, accepting what reality had doled out to him. The blond male admitted to himself inwardly, that he had been seeking for an easy way out. Evie had represented that easy way out, simple enough. Just one wedding, and the Rothesay estate would be saved. The situation wasn't dire enough to warrant immediate action, yet one act would've saved the whole estate without Fabian needing to do any back breaking labour.
But really, how bad could a few years of hard work be?
"Go and speak to him, Evie."
"Who?"
"The captain. Don't deny it, everyone in campsite have been betting on which one of you will give in first. Don't be a fool Evie."
"He's the fool, Fabian. I can't leave Father, you know that. But neither can he leave the Highlands, his home."
"You love this place too, don't you? And your father has a good few years left in him still."
"My mind is made, Fabian. I won't. He refused in the first place. I will not give my pride away to- Wait a minute, don't you want to marry me? For my dowry?"
"That's cold, the way you put it." he pretended to wince, and then laughed. "Although it's true, I had cold-blooded reasons to marry you, but I do hope you understand."
"I do. It's just the way English society is, isn't it? Besides, you're a good friend. I don't think I'd mind so much, being your wife." Her smile was sweet, a feature that suddenly made him realize she'd make a good wife, someone he'd at least have good conversations with, who he wouldn't commit adultery on for sure. He had his fair share of mistresses, but Fabian had always wished he found a love as grand as his parents.
"That's the thing, Evie. I don't think I want to anymore."
"What?" A stricken look crossed her features, to which he hurriedly tried to amend. "Don't get me wrong, you had been my first choice when I realized the Rothesay estate would need some help. I do not have time for any of those simpering maids out in the ton. But... I think you'd prefer it here."
"What about your estate?"
"It's not on its verge of death. I'll be able to do some work on it. Oh, it'll take a few years, but I'm sure it'll be worth it. Don't worry."
Evie fell silent, as if contemplating the new lot she had been given. "Father wouldn't be happy."
"It's our lives. I would like to find a love as grand as our parents, and not just settle. I think you deserve that too." Fabian replied gently, giving her a crooked smile to which she returned with one of her own, nodding. "Thank you, Fabian. Pippa has an amazing brother, but she's always said so."
"Brat." he replied with a laugh.
---
The next day, the troupe started off bright and early, eager to return to their home, and for the first time since they started, Fabian and Evie rode side by side, exchanging conversations and laughter all morning, to a point that Connor wanted to punch a tree.
While he led the pack at the front of the line with Hammond, sounds of their chatter floated easily to his audibles, making him seethe in simmering anger within that even his destrier got skittish, reacting to the volatile emotions rocking within his rider. When the laird had to pull his own horse away from Connor's from the way it was rearing it's head however, the laird scowled. "Control yer beast Connor, and take it's head. Pick up the slack man, we're almost home."
His silence only served to further annoy Hammond, whose had quite enough of the antics between his stubborn commander and headstrong cousin. "If ye canna control yer beast, then go to the back of the group. Dinna hinder our journey home."
The order was given, met with a mutinous look from the receiver, yet Connor knew he only deserved the punishment. In the more logical part of his mind, he knew his behaviour was erratic and frustrating. Hell, it was frustrating him as well, but somehow every little action Evie did easily influenced him... Watching her laugh and tease with that English dandy, even more so. Angry wasn't even the word to describe it anymore, for by now he had to reluctantly admit that he was seething with jealousy. Her smile was contagious, her laughter infectious, and Connor wanted to selfishly keep all of them for himself.
Even the scraping of the grand oaken doors opening as they arrived did nothing to quell his dark mood, despite the rest of his troops happily dismounting to greet friends, families, lovers. He saw buxom young maids eagerly swept up by the younger men of his troop, children running to greet their fathers, with his laird dismounting and moving swiftly to help Evie off her own steed. Through his scowl, Connor swung off his horse, and was immediately knocked off balance when a body hurtled through the crowds to attack him.
Much to Evie's displeasure.
She had been grinning at Hammond to thank him for his help, when the redhead had pretty much attacked Connor upon his dismounting. Noticing her red was not as vibrant as hers however, was not enough to deter her from scowling. So he had a thing for redheads was it? Was that why she had been his pick in England? As an entertainment?
Noticing her scowl, her cousin raised a brow in curiosity as he followed his gaze, only to have a deep chuckle emit from him when he finally noticed the redhead chattering animatedly with his captain. With eyes similar to his golden-flecked green ones, he squeezed his cousin's shoulders to gain her attention. "Why the scowl, col ceather?"
"What?"
"That's gaelic. For cousin. Do you wish to learn the language?"
"That would be great, thank you. Although I'm not sure how much I can pick up within the week I'm here."
"Dinna worry, I have a most efficient teacher for ye." he turned, calling out to Connor's direction. "Gillian!"
To Evie's surprise, it was the redhead she had been so carefully scrutinizing and practically shooting eye daggers at, who came bounding towards Hammond at the call of her name, much to her horror. She had no wish to be associated to such a trollop, if she was one of Connor's many conquests! For to Evie, no one who was so sinfully handsome like Connor Gilroy could possibly be celibate within a Keep which housed many beautiful women.
"Evie, meet Gillian. Gilly, this is Lady Evelyn Verrick, our cousin."
"Your sister?" Evie's eyes widened at the introduction, a part inside of her wincing when she remembered the private insinuation she had threw at the younger girl as she had observed her with Connor. Hammond laughed and nodded. "Aye, my only sister, turning eighteen this year. She is a patient teacher, so I hope she'll do. Gilly, our col ceather wishes to learn Gaelic. Do ye think ye can help?"
"Of course, deartháir. Nice to meet you Lady Evelyn." Gillian gave a curtsey as she greeted, obviously well taught by her brother despite the dirt stains around her violet kirtle, and dried leaves clinging to the edges proving otherwise.
"Please, call me Evie. We are family after all. I hope my presence isn't intruding."
"It isna! I know Papa have been verra worried over yer well-being in England. I'm glad ye have come visit, as I wanted to go along with him, but Hammond dinna allow me."
"Why so?"
"Ye know firsthand, the dangers of the Highlands, Evie. Do ye wish this young lass to be out there? She has a streak of adventure that could rival a dog's, I can barely keep an eye on her within the keep itself."
The statement had Evie laughing along with her cousin despite the good-natured scowl Gillian wore. They were so amused at teasing the younger MacKenzie that none had realized Connor's arrival until he cleared his throat, making Evie jump when she realized how close he was. Gillian however, grinned at Connor, an ease between the two that made her almost jealous of their relationship.
"I think tis better for us to enter. No sense of us having a conversation in the cold."
"Yer right. Come, Evie, I'll show you our home!" Gillian claimed in excitement, picking up her kirtle and bouncing in. Barely able to keep up, Evie had to hide a laugh as she asked, "Is she always like this?"
Hammond gave a resigned nod. "That girl has been hyperactive since birth. I had a hard time keeping her in, so now I just enlist more help to keep an eye on her whenever she wanders beyond the walls of the Keep."
"That was wise."
"She's a true free spirit, with a mind that works faster then what she can say or do. She's brilliant, but she'll foreva be mine younger sister."
---
Hey guys! Thanks so much for supporting my little new pet project. I'm actually considering to continue with Hammond or Fabian's story after this, but I'm focusing on finishing Connor & Evie's one first. :P Do comment and vote as I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Also, I'm going to enter this for the #Wattys2016 , so I'd appreciate all of your support!<3