“Please give me half of it now and save the other half for later. My parents need it, and I will give it to them to help my family.”
“Ye have made a wise decision. Ye worked hard making items to sell at the fair and earned the money. The farrier is taking a wagon, so he can give ye a ride. Be back on Monday. See Mrs. Logan and Elayne before ye leave, as they have things for ye to take to yer family.”
“Thank ye, I will.” Thomas ran to see the ladies. Elayne gave him a large lantern with a pillar candle to take to his family. She also handed Thomas a sack with dried heather in it for his mother, and an oilskin sack for his father to use when out in the fields so he could hold food inside. Finally, Elayne gave him one of the candle holders he had helped make from blocks of wood he had polished.
“Yer parents will treasure this gift since ye made it for them.” Elayne handed him a container of short and long nails for his father.
“My father will appreciate these. He’s always in need of nails on the farm for repairs or for building.”
Mrs. Logan had several loaves of bread, a jar of berry jam, and smoked meat and fish for him to take home. “Later in the year, we may have potatoes for ye to take with ye. Be a good boy and be helpful to yer parents when ye get home. Off with ye now. It won’t do to keep the farrier waiting on ye.”
“Thank ye.” And he ran out the door carrying a sack with the gifts, the coins tucked inside one of his boots.
Elayne returned to the forge, the soot, and the ashes once again, and pounded the iron on the anvil until dinnertime. Tomorrow, she would see Bessie, expecting they would make more candles or soap. Of course, Elayne hoped to uncover more about Cailean’s whereabouts and the results of his efforts to date. She hadn’t seen Bessie since the fair, as Elayne and her father had to replenish many of their stock items and teach Thomas how to make various things at the forge.
The next day, Bessie welcomed Elayne. “Dear lass, there ye are. In the nick of time. Cooler today than this past week. I thought we would make taper candles. We used so many for guests at the castle during the fair. How have ye been?” Bessie urged her to sit down and served her breakfast before they began the day’s work.
“I am fine, Bessie. My papa and I have been busy teaching our apprentice, Thomas. Ye are right, it has been hot. I ken there were people from many clans attending the fair. I dinna ken how ye did it all.”
“Numerous people helped. Aye, it was a merry time for the clan. I saw ye dancing, and it looked like ye were enjoying yerself.”
“Aye, I enjoyed dancing, and it was my first time attending a dance. I wish Cailean could have been here to share in the fun.He enjoys dancing. I’m sure he would have liked to take part in the competitions too. Do ye have any news?”
“I heard he traveled to the Macintosh clan and planned to travel to the Brodie clan next. I don’t have any specific information. But I ken the laird was well pleased with what Cailean had achieved.”
“That is good news. Cailean would be happy to ken his father is happy with his work and achievements. I ken it was challenging and I imagine each clan is very different. It is many days in the saddle, traveling from one clan to another. It’s fatiguing work.”
“Speaking of work, we best get to making the candles today. We’ll talk more later. I want to hear what ye have been doing.” Bessie and Elayne began working over the vats of hot rendered tallow, dipping wicks and tapers over and over until they were the desired circumference, and hung them to dry. Bessie and Elayne took a break for lunch with ale to quench their thirst.“Did ye meet any man ye liked while dancing at the summer fair? Or is yer heart taken by another?”
“I enjoyed dancing for the first time. But another has claimed my heart. Did ye ken Cailean taught me how to dance when he learned I didn’t ken how? We danced in the garden one night as he taught me the steps to two dances before he left for his brother’s wedding. We did nae have any music, just the stars and the moonlight.”
“I’m glad ye enjoyed yerself. It sounds wonderful, lass.”
“Aye, it was. Although I hoped Cailean could return for the summer fair, but I ken his work for the laid and his clan are more important.”
“Ye must miss him fiercely.”
“Aye, I do. Cailean taught me so many things. Hunting and fishing, and he lent me books on many subjects. Cailean is dedicated to the people of his clan and wants to learn as much as he can.” Bessie noted the expression of happiness on Elayne’s face and how her eyes lit up talking about Cailean.
“Ye ken each other a long time to learn these things ye described.”
“Aye, he met me in the forest when I was young trying to imitate and fight like the warriors I saw training. I was clobbering a poor pine tree. I think Cailean felt sorry for the tree.” Bessie and Elayne laughed at the image. After finishing their lunch, they resumed making candles until that evening, before dinner. Before Elayne left, when she and Bessie were taking tea, the laird’s steward delivered a letter to Bessie. Noting the red wax seal, she said, “It’s from Cailean.” Bessie quickly read the letter. Then she shared with Elayne his news.
Inside the envelope was a second folded parchment with a red seal, addressed to Elayne. She was so excited she could hardly contain herself. It was her first letter from Cailean. Bessie thanked Elayne for all of her work.
“I ken ye are eager to read his letter privately, so off with ye now. Thank ye, Elayne.” Bessie bid Elayne goodbye.
“Aye, Thank ye Bessie,” she said blushing. Elayne stuffed the letter in her pocket and went into the back garden. Finding a secluded spot and under a canopy of trees, she carefully broke the seal and read the letter from Cailean.
My lady, Elayne, lady of my heart.
God have ye in his blessed keeping until we meet again. I desire heartily to hear of yer welfare. Time stands still without ye, and I miss ye. I hope ye are naeworking yerself to the point of exhaustion, as ye usually do. I’m sorry I could nae come back for the summer fair, but the laird of one clan expected my arrival. Our business has been successful thanks to yer wonderful ideas about negotiation ye shared with me. I will meet with the leaders of the Grant clan in a few days.
If ye have a letter for me, give it to Bessie and she will seal it for me inside one of her letters and nae one else will ken. I look forward to when I can see ye. I long to hold ye in my arms again.
Farwell my lady,
Cailean
