“Not yet,” Lachlan instructed. “Leastways,they will be fine until the morrow. They are well trained andshan’t wander o’er far.”
“Hello?!” Victor bellowed, still danglingfrom Lachlan’s shoulder. “Remember me? I need a damn bed and somepain pills!”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Victor was placed into a bedchamber that hemight rest his backside. His brother-within-the-law swallowed somemanner of compact herbs and fell into a deep slumber on hisstomach. Lachlan and his wife were given rooms just down thehallway, their bedchamber next to Victor’s. Finn and Ramsay were tosleep on Victor’s floor this eve on mattresses that had beencarried upstairs. For now, his men stayed with him and Veronica soas not to disturb Victor’s sleep. The supper meal would soon beserved. After they partook of it his best warriors could take totheir mattresses.
“I dinna ken how you faced off with so manyof those infected in the future and lived to tell the tale,milady,” Finn said, shaking his head. “I’m as exhausted as I’d behad I faced an army on the battlefield.”
“I admit it was more difficult back when Ididn’t have any guns on me.” Veronica shrugged. “I guess it’s justlike anything else in life. You get used to it.”
“I dinna wish to grow accustomed to that,”Ramsay said. He shook his blond head. “’Tis an abomination.”
“Trust me,” Veronica said, sighing, “I don’twant to get used to it again either. That’s why Victor figured outhow to take us to your time—so we wouldn’t have to.”
“I respect you, lady,” Finn said with aseriousness. “I always did, but after this day?” He blew out abreath. “Ramsay is right-headed in his thinking. Those things areabominations to all that is holy.”
“I know. Believe me when I say I getthat.”
Lachlan’s gaze was reserved for Veronica.All his men had said was true. And his warrior wife waswondrous.
The supper meal was pleasant enough ifo’ercrowded. The kitchens were feeding not only the head table andsoldiers’ tables, but the everra streaming in line of hungryCampbell villagers seeking warm food and ale. The gesture ofgoodwill toward the hungry peasants gave Lachlan much to reconsideraboot The Campbell. Euan was mayhap a surly old mon, but heobviously cared for the well-being of his clan. ‘Twas for thatreason he decided to propose an alliance betwixt their twoclans.
“I can agree to that!” Euan said, raisinghis goblet. ‘Twas obvious the elder laird was deep in his cups, butnot so bad that he wouldna remember his own declaration. Lachlanraised his goblet in response, their cups clanking afore theydrank.
“To a renewed alliance,” Lachlan said.
“To a renewed alliance,” Euan pledgedback.
The gathered crowd cheered. It had taken theevil happenstance of the resurrected dead for the two clans tobecome allies again, yet allied they now were.
Thinking aboot his wife andbrother-within-the-law’s peace of mind, Lachlan decided that aforetheir party took their leave on the morrow he would take Euan asideand instruct him to warn his clan not to speak to outsiders aboottheir shared ordeal. Leastways, none would believe them. ‘Twas bestfor the official story to be that a known affliction had spreadthrough Campbell land. Neither laird could stop the gossips fromwagging their tongues, he realized, yet the lairds could standtogether in their approved telling of the tale.
*****
Early the next morning, everyone in theirparty save her injured brother set out with Euan and his men toclear the village of any remaining undead, but, as Veronica hadpredicted, no more infected existed. They piled the bodies they hadbrought final deaths to yesterday in a stack away from the huts.When they were finished, the bodies were set afire in the snow. Itwas a challenge, but they were steadily burning.
“Mayhap we should add pig fat that they burnfaster,” one of Euan’s soldiers suggested.
The chorus of “nays!” that rang out inresponse caused Veronica to snort. She immediately felt contrite,realizing there was nothing humorous about the situation. It wasjust the way so many had shouted “nay!” in unison that had caughther off guard and inadvertently hit her square in the funny bone.Luckily, it looked as though nobody had heard the small sound she’dmade.
Good grief. She was overtired and needed towatch herself. She recognized the solemnity of the occasion. Sheglanced at her husband and mouthed a sorry. He shook his head abit, his eyes telling her all was well.
“You need boiling tar,” Lachlan told Euan.“Whether the bodies burn all the way down or not, you needs mustpour it all o’er them. It should be poured o’er the burned downhuts too.”
The old laird grunted. He sent a couple ofhis men off to procure it, though the task would likely take daysto complete.
“Victor said the huts should be thoroughlycleaned out,” Veronica told Euan. “Once that’s done your people canmove back into them.”
“Thank you, milady.”
She gave him a commiserating half-smile.“You’re very welcome, milord.”
From there, Lachlan, Finn, and Ramsaywrangled down the horses, fed and watered them, and hitched upsomething akin to a stretcher on wheels to one of them in order totake Victor back home. When Victor was asked if he wished them toremain with the Campbells another day so he could heal a bit more,he adamantly shook his head in the negative. He wanted to mend inhis own bed with Catriona nearby.
Veronica softly smiled down to her brotheras he was laid on his stomach in the makeshift, mobile bed. Sheunderstood how he felt. Castle Cumhacht genuinely was their homenow; there was no place like it. She realized it wasn’t the castleitself so much as the people within it. Indeed, as she took to herhorse and her gaze found Lachlan’s, she felt a contented joy she’dnever experienced before he’d forced his way into her heart.Yesterday he had saved her life. This morning she understood he’dsaved it in more ways than one.
Her husband had protected her from herself,from the emotional walls she’d erected around her mind and heart.Back in the future, getting close to another person was impracticaland therefore inconceivable. She had brought that hardness, thatjadedness, with her to the past, yet through his kindness andpatience he had slowly worn down her defenses.
