Cailean hoped Elayne was snug and warm in her small bed in the kitchen in her father’s house. He couldn’t help but fantasize about the many ways he could keep her warm and give her pleasure. Imagining it, despite the cold, his trews became tight with his arousal. Thoughts and memories of Elayne kept him warm on this cold, snowy winter night.
In the morning, the men drank hot tea and ate dried meat and hot oatcakes to fortify themselves for the last leg of their journey home. Cailean and his guards were especially grateful they were released now, because in a few more weeks, treacherous weather would have prevented their journey home. Thoughts of loved ones spurned them onward.
Finally, late in the afternoon, they arrived back to the welcome sight of the castle and their village blanketed with snow. The guards on the turrets cheered when they saw the colors of the men’s tartans. It seemed to them that the warriors had been successful in gaining Cailean’s and his guards’ release from the dungeons of the Cameron clan.
People streamed out of the castle to greet and welcome the warriors home. The men took warm baths, then donned cleanclothes and went with their loved ones to the great hall for a feast celebrating their return. William and Mrs. Logan attended the feast with Thomas. Their eyes searching to see if Elayne had miraculously returned with the warriors. The clan celebrated with roasted meats, stews, drinking, and dancing in the warmth of the great hall.
The clan members listened intently to the stories of the warriors’ travels, alliances made, and finally their capture. Learning the men were freed before the warriors reached the Cameron clan stronghold mystified them.
Laird MacPherson stood with his lady by his side and commanded everyone’s attention. “Join me in toasting the success of the warriors and my son in securing many alliances that will benefit our clan. We are grateful our warriors have returned to us and their families. Enjoy the feasting this night.” Everyone cheered with ale or whiskey.
Only Elayne’s father, Mrs. Logan, and Thomas understood the true reason for their release. It was just like Elayne to negotiate a deal so that none knew what she had sacrificed for Cailean, his warriors, and the clan. They could only wait for the months to pass until she returned. The small group left when they finished eating. Across the great hall, Cailean saw them and attempted to reach them to speak with them, but clan members interrupted, clapping him on the back and offering congratulations. Cailean’s eyes never stopped searching for Elayne. Since her father was present, she must be here too, he reasoned. But the room was so crowded, he could barely walk. When he looked next to where he had seen the group, they had vanished.
Cailean awakened early the next morning and broke his fast. Afterward he sought the laird, busy working in his study. Caileanspoke with his father last night before the feast, but he needed to deliver the contracts so his father would understand the clan’s obligations and what to expect.
“Cailean, son, it is good to have ye back home. Yer mother worried for ye. Sit down and tell me about yer trip first and then yer capture. I still have a bone to pick with the laird of the Cameron clan, no matter that he released ye without my sending a ransom.”
“Here are the contracts I made on behalf of the clan. We need to buy more barley and grains to plant in early spring to produce our whiskey. Men must fell trees to create barrels so we can transport the grain and whiskey as agreed. We agreed to buy livestock from several of the clans in the spring at guaranteed prices cheaper than what we now pay. Now we also have water passage rights agreed upon to transfer goods to the coast.”
The laird studied the terms on each parchment. “I am proud of ye, son. Ye did an amazing job securing these contracts with the cunning lairds of these clans. Ye secured better rates than I did when we last negotiated. We can set these in motion after I review these with my steward. I will send my signed documents with these contracts to the lairds. Ye have increased our allies and strengthened our clan.
“The Cameron clan will be less likely to attack our borders, as it will nae longer be in their best interest to do so. The lairds will communicate it to his clan and punish those who go against their orders. Our clan is safer, and this will help protect against losses by thievery. Well done, son. So they are aware of the terms and yer accomplishments, I will share these with yer brothers.”
“Thank ye, Father, and I am sorry I could nae attend the summer games and represent our clan as a warrior. I hope next summer I will take part in the games.”
“I plan to host the games again. We can invite the lairds here with their warriors and negotiate other important deals.”
Cailean explained what they experienced when they had been captured. “Although thrown into the dungeon, they fed us well with food from the great hall and gave us ale and blankets. Never disclosing the reason they captured us, we kent they wanted to hold us for ransom, but we didn’t know if they had sent a demand to ye. We were released under armed guard, ordered to bathe, and given clean lienes and trews. We broke our fast in the great hall and were given back our mounts, swords, dirks, bows, and we rode away. We set watches but dinnae encounter anyone following us on our way home. I am thankful we were released when we were. The last two days were miserable traveling. We stayed in a bothy the final night. Guards should be sent there when it is safe to restock hay, wood, vegetables, and other items.”
“Aye, I have written it down and will discuss it with your brother, Colban and the steward.”
“I have one other document I wish ye to read, Father. It is my fervent wish to wed Lady Elayne Grant of the Grant clan, if she will have me. On this parchment is the testimony of several clan members to who she is. The elders wish for her to return to lead them as their laird. The blacksmith’s daughter, Elayne, is the true Lady Grant. If we wed, it would strengthen ties between our clans.” Cailean waited while his father studied the written testimonies of the clan members.
“While ye were away, during the feast at the summer fair, Bessie told me that an older woman originally from ClanGrant, told Elayne she was the image of her beautiful mother, Catherine. The woman insisted that Elayne was Lady Elayne Grant. Now ye have brought more evidence of her true identity. Ye have my blessing to ask for her hand in marriage. Once she agrees, I will speak to her father and write to the elders of Clan Grant. Let me know the outcome of ye asking her. Ye ken yer mother and sisters will be most eager to ken too.”
“Aye, Father. Thank ye.” Cailean beamed with happiness as he left to search out Elayne. On his way, he picked a bunch of heather for her and walked across the courtyard. Cailean entered the forge and allowed his eyes to adjust to the light. The blacksmith and his apprentice were pounding out metal in various shapes and sizes. William stopped his work, greeting Cailean, noting the heather bouquet in his hand.
“Congratulations on yer journey and safe return. Many in the clan missed ye.”
“Thank ye. It is good to be back home. I saw ye at the feast last evening and kept trying to reach ye, but a multitude of people intercepted me. By the time I arrived, ye were gone. I did nae see Elayne last night. Is she well? I came to see her today.”
“Elayne is nae here.”
“Did she go to the village?”
William looked pained; his brow furrowed in concern. “I’m sorry to tell ye that Elayne is nae here in the clan. She left me a note saying she left to visit her family for the next few months and wrote she would return after her visit.”
William noted how pale Cailean became at the shock of his news. Cailean clearly thought Elayne would be here when he returned.
He steeled himself. “Did she have a suitor?”
“Nae, she did nae. Elayne wrote she was sorry to need to leave us but felt it imperative to undertake this journey while the weather held. I ken she hoped to see ye before she left.”
“Did she say the name of the family she planned to visit? When did she leave?”
“Nae, she did nae give us the name or relationship of the people she wished to visit. Elayne departed a couple of days after we discovered ye and yer men’s capture. A woman—a cousin, I believe—who visited during the summer games claimed Elayne was the exact image of her beautiful mother, Lady Catherine Grant. Mayhap that has something to do with her departure.”
Cailean looked crestfallen and forlorn, visibly pale.
