Uncle Robbie shook his head. “Lads, I’m only going to give you one warning. Keep your mouths shut and accept responsibility for the deed you’ve done. ‘Twill go better for you.”
Uncle Brodie added, “Robbie’s right, ‘tis the only way. Your sire is coming this way, and he does not look happy.”
Laird Alexander Grant strode over to stand in front of his sons, his feet apart and his hands clenched into fists so tight Jake expected to see blood dripping from his palms at any moment.
“Lads, do you not recall the several conversations we’ve had about respecting females?”
“Aye, Papa, but we…” Jake started.
“Silence!” His sire glowered at him and took two steps forward, opening and closing his fists several times. “You’re trying my patience, lad. Do you know who you hurt the most with your actions?”
Jamie squeaked out, “Aye, Mama…”
“Aye, your mama. As you know, I’ve said any man who put that look in her eyes again would be a dead man. Do you know your only good fortune?”
Jamie shook his head; Jake said naught.
“Your good fortune is I made a promise to your mother that I would not flay you both alive. And do you know why I agreed?”
Jamie shook his head again.
“Because your mother says ten and five is not the age of a man grown. She says you are still lads. And since the look in her eyes would be worse if her eldest sons were dead, I’ll not touch you. If I touch you, I fear I’ll lose my temper. So you will move that pile of rocks from that spot—” he pointed to the mountainous pile they used for various purposes in the clan, made up of rocks and boulders of all sizes, “—and you’ll move them over there.” He pointed to a spot way off to the right.
Jamie stared at his brother, a green look in his face. The pile of stones stood taller than either of them. “All the way over there?”
“Aye.”
“Fine, we’ll start at sun up,” Jake said through clenched teeth. After all, his sire hadn’t even allowed them to explain.True, he and Jamie had decided not to tell the whole story, but he could haveaskedthem.
“Sun up? Nay, it will be finished by sun up. You’ll start now. And if it takes all night, so be it. You had plenty of energy to be randy, you’ll have enough energy to move boulders.”
Jamie emitted a groan, but then squelched it.
Jake wouldn’t give his sire the satisfaction to see him upset about his task. “Fine. I’ll get the cart.” He walked past his father and headed back up the hill to retrieve a cart from the bailey.
“Lad,” his father bellowed.
“Aye?” Jake halted, his hands on his hips.
“No cart. With your hands.” Alex finished his statement and spun around to head to the keep.
“What?” Jake yelled after him.
His sire came back and stood face-to-face with Jake. “I said no cart. You have until dawn. If you decide to quit, I’ll settle your punishment with my fists, and I’ll be sure your mother will not see your bruises.”
Jake murmured a few cuss words after his sire left, but then returned to Jamie’s side. “Come along. We need to get started. ‘Tis not a big concern.”
Brodie and Robbie snickered.
Jamie asked, “Why are you laughing?”
“If Jake thinks moving all those rocks that far by hand is not an issue, then he’s a bigger fool than I thought.” Uncle Robbie chuckled as he cast a sideways glance at Brodie, who had his hand over his mouth. “Were we that foolish at their age?”
“You’ll see by day break,” Jake said as his uncles headed back toward the keep. He reached down to pick up his first rock. “This will not be that difficult.”
Jamie followed him. “Somehow, I think you’ve just made a big mistake.”
By morning, Jamie and Jake were barely moving. They’d almost finished when his father, Uncle Brodie, and Uncle Robbie came along to check their progress. Uncle Robbie whistled when he saw how hard the two of them had worked all night. Barely moving due to exhaustion, they continued until they had moved the last stone. His hands trembling, his muscles twitching from the stress, Jake wiped his sleeve across his forehead, then nodded to his sire before making his way back toward the keep.
