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Authors: J. Lee Coulter
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as she thought of having a child…Connall’s child. Will he be pleased?
Brighde silently chastised herself. Of course he will be pleased! He is wonderful with Amy. Why would he feel any different for his own bairn? I will wait to be certain afore I tell him. I would nae wish to disappoint him. She hummed a long forgotten lullaby as she drifted absen t mindedly to her solar.
* * *
Blacksword swung his weapon in a high arch, and then brought it crashing forcefully on his opponent’s blade. Fe r gus staggered back , his hands st inging from the blow. He countered with his own attack, leaving himself open for a thrust to his heart. Connall stopped short from finishing the job. They lowered their weapons then he instructed his squire on how to avoid being in that position.
“Fergus, every time ye raise your sword above your head ye leave yourself wide open to a death blow. Twould be better if ye spin around and let your momentum throw your opponent off-balance.” He glanced up hearing Amy’s giggles.
Giving her a stern look, he stalked towards his ward. “Tis too dangerous here for lasses. What ye be doing?”
“I be watching my betrothed, Da,” she retorted pet u lantly . “Where else would I be?”
A smile twitched his lips. “And who be your target this day?”
“Why, Fergus, of course. Did he nae tell ye? I told him just this morn!”
Connall glanced at Fergus, who stood with a sheepish expression on his face as he blushed red. Ahh! At least she is setting her sights on somewhat younger men. He grinned at him. F r owning, he turned back to his ward.
“Regardless, Poppit, the training yard is too dangerous for lasses. It is forbidden.”
She ground her toe in the snow soaked earth. “I am sorry. Are ye angry with me?”
Angry? How could he possibly be angry with such an adorable bairn? He shook his head.
“Nay, Poppit. I am nae angry…but do nae do it again or I shall be. Since ye are here I wish to give ye a gift.”
Her eyes widened as her excitement began to mount. “Really, Da? What is it…where is it?” Amy glanced about eagerly.
“Come. I will take ye to it.” Connall swept her up in his arms as he headed for the stables.
“What is it? What is it?”
“Patience, lass. Ye shall see soon enough.” The laird covered her eyes with his free hand as they entered the dark building. The air was filled with the smells of oiled leather, hay and horse. Amy wriggled impatiently in his arms as he strode to the rear, finally stopping and removing his hand.
Amy rubbed her eyes as they adjusted to the dim light then spied a litter of puppies being watched over by their mother. “Puppies!” she squealed as she clapped her hands together. “They are mine?”
Connall laughed. “Ye can have one puppy , Poppit. Ye must decide which one ye would have. When they grow up they will look like their mama and have long coats to brush. So choose wisely which of them ye would have. Ye will need to feed it and keep the tangles from its fur . Do ye think ye can handle such a responsibility?”
Amy nodded vigorously as she squirmed out of his arms to inspect the pups. Eight little fur balls attacked her enthusiastically, knocking her down in the straw. She laughed and giggled as they alternately took turns licking her face and hands.
The laird smiled at their antics as she carefully inspec t ed each one. The litter belonged to his stable master, A r thur. He had been trading breeding with a man from a neighboring village to create a herding dog that was easily trained. This was his best litter to date. Collies is what he called them. Connall had to admit that they were beautiful to look at…he hoped they could herd sheep as well.
“This one wants me, Da! I will keep this one. Thank ye, Da. I promise to take good care of it. ” Amy held up a sable pup with a wide white collar and a thin blaze down its face. It licked her face lavishly.
Noting its sex, he asked, “And what will ye name her,
Brighde silently chastised herself. Of course he will be pleased! He is wonderful with Amy. Why would he feel any different for his own bairn? I will wait to be certain afore I tell him. I would nae wish to disappoint him. She hummed a long forgotten lullaby as she drifted absen t mindedly to her solar.
* * *
Blacksword swung his weapon in a high arch, and then brought it crashing forcefully on his opponent’s blade. Fe r gus staggered back , his hands st inging from the blow. He countered with his own attack, leaving himself open for a thrust to his heart. Connall stopped short from finishing the job. They lowered their weapons then he instructed his squire on how to avoid being in that position.
“Fergus, every time ye raise your sword above your head ye leave yourself wide open to a death blow. Twould be better if ye spin around and let your momentum throw your opponent off-balance.” He glanced up hearing Amy’s giggles.
Giving her a stern look, he stalked towards his ward. “Tis too dangerous here for lasses. What ye be doing?”
“I be watching my betrothed, Da,” she retorted pet u lantly . “Where else would I be?”
A smile twitched his lips. “And who be your target this day?”
“Why, Fergus, of course. Did he nae tell ye? I told him just this morn!”
Connall glanced at Fergus, who stood with a sheepish expression on his face as he blushed red. Ahh! At least she is setting her sights on somewhat younger men. He grinned at him. F r owning, he turned back to his ward.
“Regardless, Poppit, the training yard is too dangerous for lasses. It is forbidden.”
She ground her toe in the snow soaked earth. “I am sorry. Are ye angry with me?”
Angry? How could he possibly be angry with such an adorable bairn? He shook his head.
“Nay, Poppit. I am nae angry…but do nae do it again or I shall be. Since ye are here I wish to give ye a gift.”
Her eyes widened as her excitement began to mount. “Really, Da? What is it…where is it?” Amy glanced about eagerly.
“Come. I will take ye to it.” Connall swept her up in his arms as he headed for the stables.
“What is it? What is it?”
“Patience, lass. Ye shall see soon enough.” The laird covered her eyes with his free hand as they entered the dark building. The air was filled with the smells of oiled leather, hay and horse. Amy wriggled impatiently in his arms as he strode to the rear, finally stopping and removing his hand.
Amy rubbed her eyes as they adjusted to the dim light then spied a litter of puppies being watched over by their mother. “Puppies!” she squealed as she clapped her hands together. “They are mine?”
Connall laughed. “Ye can have one puppy , Poppit. Ye must decide which one ye would have. When they grow up they will look like their mama and have long coats to brush. So choose wisely which of them ye would have. Ye will need to feed it and keep the tangles from its fur . Do ye think ye can handle such a responsibility?”
Amy nodded vigorously as she squirmed out of his arms to inspect the pups. Eight little fur balls attacked her enthusiastically, knocking her down in the straw. She laughed and giggled as they alternately took turns licking her face and hands.
The laird smiled at their antics as she carefully inspec t ed each one. The litter belonged to his stable master, A r thur. He had been trading breeding with a man from a neighboring village to create a herding dog that was easily trained. This was his best litter to date. Collies is what he called them. Connall had to admit that they were beautiful to look at…he hoped they could herd sheep as well.
“This one wants me, Da! I will keep this one. Thank ye, Da. I promise to take good care of it. ” Amy held up a sable pup with a wide white collar and a thin blaze down its face. It licked her face lavishly.
Noting its sex, he asked, “And what will ye name her,
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