Page 16 of My Scarred Laird
Islay felt her eyebrows fly up her forehead, “That is a horrid thing ta think. Ye are prosperous because ye have a good Laird who cares about his people. Be grateful for that. No’ everyone is so lucky. Some Lairds only care that they have more. They want the wealth for themselves and their gains. Not for the good of their people.”
Roberta studied her, “I take it ye have had yer share of Lairds that are this way?”
Islay didn’t want to shame her father, but that was a big part of why their clan failed.
“Aye. Lairds that actually care about the land they live on, the people who work that land in their stead and care for them, that is something I havena’ seen. As I said, be grateful ye have a Laird that cares for ye. That wants ta see this clan no’ just live but succeed. Ta be more than they were.”
Roberta shook her head slowly, “No matter how much Ewan and I have tried, everyone is tae scared of him ta get near him. Yes, he is a good man who works hard ta help our clan succeed, but no one goes near him, aside from his brother. He was supposed ta marry, but the woman was tae terrified ta come ta even meet the Laird. It broke my heart for the lad. He has been so lonely for most of his life.”
Islay’s heart went out to him, “I heard she wouldna’ come. Tha’ she chose ta stay at her families keep.”
Roberta scrubbed at a dish fiercely, “Aye. It wasna right that she did that.”
Islay lifted her brow, “Well, what else was she ta think? She must have heard tha’ even his own people are scared of him.”
Roberta shut her eyes in pain, “I ken.”
Islay rushed over to Roberta when she saw a tear trickle down the woman’s cheek.
“I hate that no one is willin’ ta see past Callum’s scars. Tha’ man would give ye his shirt off his back if ye needed it. He is good to everyone, even though they arena’ good ta him. I have seen how gentle he is around small bairns and animals. The horses follow him about, wantin’ nothing more than ta be close ta him. I have seen dogs and cats do the same. All the animals are drawn to his kindness. There is no one like Callum. It hurts me ta ken that no one sees him as I do.”
Islay swallowed hard, “He truly has animals follow him about?”
Roberta wiped her eyes with the edge of her apron, “Aye. Tis’ a sight ta behold. Callum is so large, so imposin’ but he is so verra gentle. So verra kind. He is so patient with everyone, and I just ken he is wishin’ that everyone would see he was just a man. Nothing more.”
Islay bit her lip, “I hope ye ken I will no’ judge him. Or condemn him for his scars. As you said, he is just a man.”
Roberta nodded, “It pains me ta see our own people hurtin’ him for nothin’ more than their own pride. They are tae scared of what they do no’ ken. There have been ta many stories of men being taken over by the devil and they believe Callum is such a man. They wish no’ ta anger him. Ta do anything ta risk his wrath. They are spineless men. All except the warriors who fight for Culloden. Those menseeCallum. They do no’ condemn him for being scarred. Most of those men are scarred as well. Callum saved his brother and was hurt in the process. The warriors who fight for Callum ken he is a good man. But since they are nothing but warriors, they arena allowed ta sit with the people who hate Callum. They doona like the people as much as the people doona like them.”
Islay nodded, “Why do those people stay here then?”
Roberta looked over at her, “For what Callum does for them. He keeps them safe in an unforgiving world and keeps them housed, fed, and taken care of. They want for nothin’. No’ with the way Callum kens what he does about coin. He kens how to take one coin and make it two. He is a verra rich man, and his father was the same. The nobles tha’ live in the castle were brought here because of Elspeth and havena’ left because they have nowhere else ta go. No where that would give them the lifestyle Callum gives them.”
Islay nodded; she knew people like that. Nobles who did nothing more than sit on cushions, do embroidery and pretend to learn to fight.
Her own holdings had a lot of nobles like that, but when her father started using the money, he was supposed to use to keep their clan prosperous and instead spent it on frivolous things, those nobles left. Promising their warriors to fight for any other clan. She knew it worked that way.
A lot of their people left when the nobles did, knowing that their clan was dying out.
Islay shook those thoughts away, “Do ye ken if any of the noble women warm Callum’s bed?”
Roberta snorted, “What ye saw this night was the closest anyone comes ta Callum. They doona go near his chambers, or any of that part of the castle at all. None of the noble women would even allow a whisper of rumors to be heard with that on someone’s lips. And Callum himself refuses ta let anyone close ta him. He doesna want their ridicule and believes himself ta be ruined. That he is broken. He wouldna allow a woman close ta him. For that reason, along with one other.”
Islay leaned forward, “What other?”
Roberta gave her a side eye, “It is said that the men of the Stewart line are different. That they ken who they are meant ta be with. That they are meant for only one woman. A lot of men laugh at that, but for Callum, and Culloden they havena’ deviated. They believe it wholeheartedly and their father was the same. A lot of Laird’s get around, have a lot of bastard children, and do no’ care. But no’ the Stewart men. Culloden is handsome as the devil, and many of the lasses who live in the village, and in the castle have tried ta catch his eye. He looks through them as if they arena there. Callum is the same.”
Islay’s breath caught in her throat, “Truly?”
Roberta nodded, “Truly.”
Islay looked down at her hands, “I had no idea.”
Roberta smiled, “Most do no’. It is something that the Stewart men hold close ta their chests.”
Islay simply nodded, worried now that she knew that bit of information.
Would she be the woman meant for Callum?
