Gunn warrior. Bree would have
laughed at her fabrication, but her friend seemed to believe that statement.
After riding for most of the day,
Bree finally got up the courage to ask Commander Bennett if they might stop to
rest. Never would she question the baron’s guard, but enough was enough. She
and Cait were not men and should be allowed rest when needed. He agreed, and
Cait shouted a halleluiah when they dismounted.
Once the horses were cared for, the
men began setting up a tent for her and Cait to sleep in. Cait had been on her
best behavior and hadn’t encouraged any of the men during the trip. She hadn’t
even shared a kiss with one of them, a very rare event indeed. Bree wanted to
tease Cait about it, but kept quiet. The baron’s soldiers were not used to her
jesting. Bree wasn’t about to let her guard down even though it didn’t much
matter how she acted now.
She set a cover on the ground and
then searched for twigs so she could build a fire. Before doing so, she asked
Commander Bennett if it was safe. He didn’t seem to think it wasn’t or it
mattered. Bree set the kindling to the fire she started and began making
pottage. She poured in water Cait retrieved from a nearby stream, along with
some spices and some dried meat in a small cauldron she’d brought. She then
added a few turnips and carrots. Before long, the aroma of the stew drew the
guard and she found herself surrounded by them, all crowded on her small cover.
She was happy to share the pottage
with them. It gave her pleasure to cook for others. During the meal, she
noticed the silence of the forest. All she heard were the sounds of the men
eating, but what struck her odd was there were no sounds of birds, insects, or
animals. There weren’t any early-evening noises one could usually make out this
time of year. There had to be an animal close by. She hoped it wasn’t a wolf or
a boar. Concerned, Bree looked around at the nearby woods, but she didn’t
notice anything out of the ordinary or see glowing eyes amongst the trees.
After finishing the last of the
carrots, she tossed aside the broadleaf she’d used to hold her pottage. “I am
going to rest. Cait, can you clean up?”
Cait nodded, before returning her
attention back to her food.
“Sleep well,” she mumbled.
Inside the tent, Bree readied for
bed. She undid her gown, welcoming the relief from the summer heat. Throughout
the day, the sun beat down on them and she was happy to finally remove the
heavy fabric of her travel garments. She slept in her undergarments; thankful
the shift was thin-threaded. Using her rolled up overdress for a pillow, she
settled down.
Unable to sleep, Bree worried,
tossing and turning. One thought led to another and before long, she wondered
if the Gunns would come. And if they didn’t come, what would happen to her once
she reached the MacHeth holding? Would the MacHeth laird force her to marry his
choice? What manner of man would he be? Then her thoughts turned to the
Champlains. If she negated the MacHeth laird’s demand, would he take revenge on
them? She wouldn’t let that happen. Barron Thomas and Lady Millie had been
kind. She couldn’t repay their kindness by being selfish, but her safety was at
issue.
Then thoughts of why her real family
discarded her kept intruding on her ability to form a good plan. She wondered
if they had really sent her away because of tension within the clan. She’d
always believed she’d done something terribly wrong, and then she thought that
nonsense. What could a child do that was so dreadful to have been sent away?
Bree wanted to believe they’d sent her away because of war, but she knew of no
parent who would willingly send their child away. If they’d cared for her, they
would have kept her close by and had found a way to protect her.
There had to be a way to get out of
this situation, but the solution escaped her. Bree was a planner by nature and
liked organization, especially in her kitchen. She didn’t
laughed at her fabrication, but her friend seemed to believe that statement.
After riding for most of the day,
Bree finally got up the courage to ask Commander Bennett if they might stop to
rest. Never would she question the baron’s guard, but enough was enough. She
and Cait were not men and should be allowed rest when needed. He agreed, and
Cait shouted a halleluiah when they dismounted.
Once the horses were cared for, the
men began setting up a tent for her and Cait to sleep in. Cait had been on her
best behavior and hadn’t encouraged any of the men during the trip. She hadn’t
even shared a kiss with one of them, a very rare event indeed. Bree wanted to
tease Cait about it, but kept quiet. The baron’s soldiers were not used to her
jesting. Bree wasn’t about to let her guard down even though it didn’t much
matter how she acted now.
She set a cover on the ground and
then searched for twigs so she could build a fire. Before doing so, she asked
Commander Bennett if it was safe. He didn’t seem to think it wasn’t or it
mattered. Bree set the kindling to the fire she started and began making
pottage. She poured in water Cait retrieved from a nearby stream, along with
some spices and some dried meat in a small cauldron she’d brought. She then
added a few turnips and carrots. Before long, the aroma of the stew drew the
guard and she found herself surrounded by them, all crowded on her small cover.
She was happy to share the pottage
with them. It gave her pleasure to cook for others. During the meal, she
noticed the silence of the forest. All she heard were the sounds of the men
eating, but what struck her odd was there were no sounds of birds, insects, or
animals. There weren’t any early-evening noises one could usually make out this
time of year. There had to be an animal close by. She hoped it wasn’t a wolf or
a boar. Concerned, Bree looked around at the nearby woods, but she didn’t
notice anything out of the ordinary or see glowing eyes amongst the trees.
After finishing the last of the
carrots, she tossed aside the broadleaf she’d used to hold her pottage. “I am
going to rest. Cait, can you clean up?”
Cait nodded, before returning her
attention back to her food.
“Sleep well,” she mumbled.
Inside the tent, Bree readied for
bed. She undid her gown, welcoming the relief from the summer heat. Throughout
the day, the sun beat down on them and she was happy to finally remove the
heavy fabric of her travel garments. She slept in her undergarments; thankful
the shift was thin-threaded. Using her rolled up overdress for a pillow, she
settled down.
Unable to sleep, Bree worried,
tossing and turning. One thought led to another and before long, she wondered
if the Gunns would come. And if they didn’t come, what would happen to her once
she reached the MacHeth holding? Would the MacHeth laird force her to marry his
choice? What manner of man would he be? Then her thoughts turned to the
Champlains. If she negated the MacHeth laird’s demand, would he take revenge on
them? She wouldn’t let that happen. Barron Thomas and Lady Millie had been
kind. She couldn’t repay their kindness by being selfish, but her safety was at
issue.
Then thoughts of why her real family
discarded her kept intruding on her ability to form a good plan. She wondered
if they had really sent her away because of tension within the clan. She’d
always believed she’d done something terribly wrong, and then she thought that
nonsense. What could a child do that was so dreadful to have been sent away?
Bree wanted to believe they’d sent her away because of war, but she knew of no
parent who would willingly send their child away. If they’d cared for her, they
would have kept her close by and had found a way to protect her.
There had to be a way to get out of
this situation, but the solution escaped her. Bree was a planner by nature and
liked organization, especially in her kitchen. She didn’t
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