Gregor threw his head back and laughed heartily. “Bring it on!” he cried eagerly.
They began their bout, and although their swords were blunt, Gregor was surprised by the savagery of Hamish’s attack, wondering if he had forgotten that this was not a real fight.
“Hamish!” one of the guards cried. “Ye’re aimin’ at the wrong place!” He pointed to a spot between his legs and all the others fell about laughing.
Gregor grinned. “Aye, right!” he cried.
“Just you try!” Hamish answered. “You will never father another child!”
The two men went on, thrusting, parrying, occasionally pretending to stab each other in the heart, and dancing around each other till both were exhausted. After half an hour or so, both men were too tired to go on and put their swords back in their sheaths before going to eat breakfast.
Gregor handed Hamish a plate of porridge, his eyes glinting with mischief. “What has got intae ye this mornin’?” he askedas he watched Hamish wipe the sweat from his flushed face. “I thought ye were goin’ tae start a war a’ by yoursel’!”
“Sorry to disappoint you, Gregor,” Hamish replied, smiling. “I felt so full of energy today, and I needed to work some of it off. You’re quite safe, since I haven’t declared war on anyone except my brother.”
Gregor laughed grimly. “Aye, dinnae worry, pal. Ye will have a fair old army behind ye. The men are a’ gettin impatient with every day that passes. Everybody is ready tae get their swords wet wi’ Struan’s blood.”
“We will, I promise,” Hamish said. “But we have to be ready and come up with a good plan.”
He stood up and began to walk around the camp, and many of the young boys came running up to him with their wooden swords ready to engage him in play fights.
One of the boys in question came running up and almost tripped him up as he charged straight at Hamish’s feet, but Hamish roared and lifted his sheathed sword high in the air in order to bring it down on his opponent’s head. The little boy, who was about seven summers old, dodged around him and drove the point of his wooden sword into Hamish’s backside.
Hamish whipped around, holding on to his rear end and screaming in pain, but this was the worst thing he could have done, since he had left his front open to his enemy’s sword.
“Surrender!” the boy cried, holding up his sword and frowning ferociously.
“Never!” Hamish growled.
The little boy let out a yell and charged forward, then drove his wooden sword onto Hamish’s stomach. It did no harm, of course, but Hamish staggered backwards with a bloodcurdling scream, then fell on the ground and lay still.
His opponent ran forward and put a foot on Hamish’s stomach, then raised his arms in triumph, whereupon hisplaymates and most of the guards cheered and clapped in appreciation.
After a few moments, Hamish magically rose from the dead, laughing, then put down his sword then went to talk to one of the women who was expecting a child. He always made a point of treating expectant mothers with special care and smiled as he sat down beside the young woman.
“Good morning, Annie,” he said pleasantly. “How are you feeling?”
Annie gave him a beaming smile. “Very well, Hamish,” she replied. “I think it must be a wee boy. He jumps an’ kicks like a spring lamb, an’ nothin’ settles him. I didnae have half as much trouble wi’ the last one. She was a girl.” She shook her head and tutted.
“I am so glad I do not have to carry babies,” Hamish remarked with a mock terrified expression. “Even the thought of it scares me to death.”
Annie laughed. “An’ men aye think they are stronger than women!” she said, shaking her head. “I would love tae see ye gettin’ wi’ child! Ye wouldnae last five minutes! Here.”
She took her hand and placed it on her stomach, and Hamish felt a series of rapid tap-taps under the palm of his hands. He felt astonished that this was an actual human being. He wondered for the first time ever if he would ever be a father. The notion both thrilled and terrified him.
“Dae ye think the English lassie would help me wi’ the birth?” the woman asked Hamish. “We a’ thought she was goin’ tae be nasty just because she was a Sassenach, but I think we were a’ wrong. I heard what she did in Inchkeith.”
Hamish smiled. “I think she would be only too pleased to help you.”
With a pleased grin, he wandered around for a while meeting and greeting everyone, slowly making his way back to Gregor.After that, the two men settled down to eat their breakfast and make the kind of small talk that only good friends can before Gregor turned his head and nudged Hamish.
“Look who’s here,” he said, with a sly wink.
Amanda was walking towards them, eating a bannock, her face flushed, and her hair tousled by the breeze.
She looks adorable,Hamish thought, unaware that his soft smile was giving away his thoughts as surely as if he had spoken them.
Amanda had felt very reluctant to get out of bed, not only because she was so warm and cosy, but because she had dreamt about Hamish all night and wanted to carry on doing so. However, she could hear all the morning bustle going on outside, and knew that she would have to rise and begin her work for the day.
