“The laird of the MacPherson clan sends a mere lad to do his bidding. I have nae sent a ransom note yet. I’m surprised he kens they are my guests,” he said sarcastically.
“Aye, he kens, and I am here to secure his release. What is the ransom?” She remained direct and focused, and the laird admired the lad’s fortitude and courage in facing him.
The laird named a significant sum of money, and Elayne wondered if the clan could pay it. They may need to secure a loan from their allies to provide the sum.
Elayne sought to plant seeds of doubt and undermine Laird Cameron’s determination. “I do not have the funds to secure his release. Laird MacPherson may not have that sum either. It could take considerable time to gather it from other sources. I have a better deal for ye to consider.”
“What is this deal ye offer me?”
“Ye can avoid bloodshed by releasing Cailean and his guards now. Loss of life in battle is regrettable, but it also drains the coffers of yer clan. Fewer tenants can pay ye in taxes, and ye have fewer men to labor in the fields producing crops or livestock to sell at a profit to others. Why not start making money now by accepting my wager?”
The laird’s eyes showed his surprise at her bold words. “Aye, what ye say is true. What is yer wager?”
“I am a blacksmith, and I will trade my skills to work for ye for three months. I will work from sunrise to sunset, seven days a week for three months. I will expect meals in the great hall and a comfortable room in the servants’ quarters to sleep in. I cannot do my best work without food or a comfortable night’s sleep. I ken ye may not believe me, but I apprenticed for my father at an early age. Ye may want proof of what I say and that my words are true. I will show ye.” Elayne gave a small lantern to the laird for him to inspect. While he examined the lantern, she pulled the dirk from her belt and placed it on top of his desk.
“I made that small lantern and I’ve also made larger ones. I made the dirk as well. Ye can inspect the workmanship and feel its weight and balance. Ye can appreciate the grip of the hilt.” Next, she placed a horseshoe and a couple of short nails for him to inspect. “I ken as laird of yer clan, ye have many horses for yer warriors, and they need to be re-shoed. It takes more than an hour to make one horseshoe and much time to make as many shoes as possible. Also, farmers and others need shoes for their horses.”
“These items are finely made, but ye could have bought them and presented them as yer own.”
“That is true, but I created these. Ye can see my sword as testament to the truth I speak.”
“Take the lad’s sword.”
The guard standing beside Elayne took the sword at her back from its sheath. Elayne’s highly polished sword reflected the flickering firelight from the hearth and candles in the room. The laird stood and held it up, marveling over its craftsmanship. His own blacksmith had never crafted as fine a sword. He passed the weapon to the other men present for them to inspect.
“How could I, a young lad, afford such a magnificent sword if I dinna make it myself? But even now, if ye have reason to doubt me, I can go to yer forge and make a horseshoe under the eyes of yer blacksmith and ye can see for yerself.”
“Aye, before I accept yer wager, I would see the horseshoe ye make by watching ye work. If what ye say is true, I would accept yer wager, but forsixmonths of work.”
“I would accept the agreement that at the end of the six months, I am free to leave yer clan without harm, and that our wager isna shared with the laird of the MacPherson clan or any of his clansmen.”
“Then let us see ye make the horseshoe first.” A guard escorted the lad to the forge with the laird, giving instructions to his blacksmith. The blacksmith nodded. “Aye, my laird.” The He did not question his laird and did not ken why the laird would instruct a small lad to attempt a man’s work. He placed a long piece of iron in the forge and gave pliers to the lad as well as leather gloves for him to wear.
When the tempered iron was hot enough, the lad retrieved the hot iron, placed it on the anvil, took his own hammer from his belt, and began forcefully beating and pounding the iron. Thelad plunged it into the bucket of water. Then placed it back in the forge, heating it again. When ready, he beat and hammered it into shape, much to their amazement. Finally, the finished horseshoe cooled. The blacksmith looked at it and assessed the fine workmanship before handing it to the laird. The blacksmith asked the lad, “What other items can ye make?”
“I have made short and long nails, axes, swords, dirks, hammers, weapons, arrowheads, lanterns, tools, and wagon wheels.”
“If he makes the other items like this horseshoe, he is nae apprentice but a full blacksmith. I would be happy for him to work here. As ye ken, my laird, there is more than enough work for two people.”
“Then that is what we will do. What is yer name, lad?”
“Edward,” Elayne replied quickly.
“Edward will bunk in with the servants in the castle and eat in the great hall. He has agreed to work from sunrise to sunset seven days a week for six months. Tell him in the morning what work ye want him to do.”
“I will see ye in the morning, Edward. Ye can start by making more horseshoes, as we are running low, and, after that, short nails for the horses needing new shoes.”
“Aye, I will make them for ye in the morning.”
The guard escorted Edward back to the laird’s study. “My guard will escort ye to the housekeeper, who will assign ye a room with the castle servants. I will release Cailean and his guards tomorrow morning, and ye can watch them leave from the forge. I will keep my end of the bargain we struck, and ye will keep yers. Ye can have yer sword, dirk, and lantern back. Maketen large lanterns for me when you are done making horseshoes for the blacksmith.”
Edward gathered his things and put them away. “Aye, I will.” The guard escorted him to the housekeeper, conveying the laird’s directives. The housekeeper showed him the room he would use, then led him to the great hall so he could find his way again. “I need to retrieve my clothes from my horse in the stable before I settle in. What times are meals served?” The housekeeper explained meal times. Edward walked to the stable and retrieved his sack before returning to his room.
Behind the closed door, which could latch, Elayne let out a sigh of relief. That was only part of the battle she faced. At least in this room, she had privacy and could wash. She couldn’t let her guard down and needed to ensure she was only seen as Edward. The threat of discovery of her true identity loomed over her for the duration of her contract. She had secreted coins and sewn them into her cloak and the hem of her pants for emergencies. They should remain safe enough for now.
She would sleep in her clothes, not allowing herself to be caught unawares. So eager for Cailean’s release was Elayne that she wasn’t sure if she could sleep tonight. Once Cailean and his guards left, she would sever all ties to her home. Whatever sacrifices she needed to make, it was worth it to free Cailean. But he should never discover her location, or his life would be in jeopardy again because she knew he would come to save her.
Elayne ate a hearty dinner in the great hall and sat alone in the corner, astutely observing people at the top table and how they interacted with the laird. Tired after her long journey, she retired early. In bed, she listened to the sounds that echoed down the long stone hallways. Doors creaked and people called out to each other. A small hearth in her room held only anegligible amount of wood laid next to it. Elayne did not look forward to working in the heat of the forge by day and freezing in here during winter nights; she would have to get more wood. Expecting the laird would have spies watching her every move, she ken her life would now be restricted to the castle boundaries.
