Page 21 of My Scarred Laird
The mother, whose name was Gemma, sighed, “We doona hate him. Well, my husband is jealous of him and his position as Laird,” Islay’s eyebrows rose, this entire discussion not something she expected, and she worried she needed to look into it more. But Gemma went on, “We have heard his screams at night. He seems ta be possessed by demons. And I just ken that a lot of us are scared of him. There are a lot of rumors of the night he got his scars. How he survived with the burns he got. It is said the devil himself healed Callum. Tha’ is why we are afraid.”
Islay stayed silent, going over to the broken glass and picking up the shards carefully, “I doona believe him ta be cursed. If ye talked ta him ye would see he is nothin’ more than a man. A flesh and blood man.”
Gemma studied her, “Ye believe tha’ do ye? How would ye ken what he is like? If the devil didna touch him? Have ye not heard the noises coming from his room sometimes? It’s as if the devil himself is in that room. The ruckus he makes. It sounds as if hellhounds have come ta drag him straight ta the devil.”
Islay stood straight, her hands on her hips, “Ye doona even ken the suffering he is going through on those nights. How he cries out in pain because no one is willin’ ta go inta his rooms and help him. He needs ye all ta see that he has done nothing but suffer. I feel sorry for ye all if ye canna even see that.”
Gemma looked at her, and Islay put the pieces of the teacup on her tray, “Ye have seen the Laird in pain?”
“I have helped him when his head was fit to bursting. When he is crying out in agony because he can barely take the pain, yet none of ye care. Ye all believe him ta be cursed, or broken. He is just a man. A lonely, scarred man who longs for the acceptance of his clan, yet who has never gotten it no matter how hard he tries.”
She curtsied quickly, then left the room, fuming.
She brought the tray to the kitchen, and Roberta lifted a brow when she slammed it down, causing the other teacup to rattle.
“What has ye so angry?”
Islay took a deep breath, “Those women. They make me upset that they treat Callum so. He doesna deserve their hate or hesitation. He doesna deserve ta have them hate him for being in pain. He canna control that.”
Roberta’s eyebrows rose, “Ye believe tha’ doona ye? Ye believe he doesna deserve the censure he receives.”
Islay looked at Roberta, “He is a good man. A hardworking, wonderful man that only wants the best for his clan. He has done more ta keep ye all safe, fed, and protected than most Laird’s would. I envy ye. That ye havena’ had ta worry if ye wouldna be able ta eat, or if the soldiers were going ta come for ye. Most clans or their Laird’s doona work as hard as he. I wish that they would see that.”
Roberta put her hands to her hips, “Who are ye? Ye are unlike any woman I have ever met. Certainly not a maid. Ye are tae well-spoken ta be a maid.”
Islay went pink, “I, I,” she didn’t know what to say and Roberta took a step forward. “I didna put it together until now. The Brodie clan had a daughter whose name was Islay. Ye are her, arena ye?”
Islay nodded slowly, “I came in my sister’s stead. She didna want ta marry Callum, but I do.”
Roberta eyebrows flew up her forehead, “That is why ye have been askin’ about our Laird. Ye want ta ken who he is, but no one could figure out why. Most newcomers are terrified of the ‘curse’ he has on him and avoid him as if he carries the plague.”
“I didna wish ta lie ta ye, I just needed ta find out for myself who he was. I didna wish ta listen ta rumors.”
“Ye have been working as a servant. Ye are ta be the lady of the keep. Oh heavens. The laird will have my head if he kenned ye were here the whole time and working for him.”
Islay held out her hands, “Oh nay. I doona wish ye ta worry yerself. I came of my volition. I wanted ta get ta ken the people I am ta be part of. And I wanted ta ken Callum. He is a tricky sort. Always up before the sun, and not getting back until after the sun goes down. I think he is avoiding me.”
Roberta huffed a tiny laugh, “He has ta be. He usually isna gone this much.”
Islay lifted her brows this time, “Oh. Do ye think he doesna want ta marry me after all?”
Roberta put her hands to her hips, “I think because ye havena’ been truthful, he thinks ye are naught but a servant.”
Islay hung her head, “I ken, and I never wanted ta lead him astray, I just wanted ta find out for myself about him, and about his clan.”
Roberta’s hands slowly dropped, “And what have ye discovered?”
“Tha’ Callum is a good man. As I knew. That his clan prospers under his guidance, and that he would do anything for anyone, given half a chance. Though most would never ask.”
Roberta nodded, “Aye. He is a good man. And a good Laird. The people may be wary of him, but the warriors are no’. Ye should see him with his men. He has earned their respect ten times over. The way he fights in battle is something they talk of for weeks. Months. Years. It truly as if Callum was touched by the devil, but no’ in a bad way. The way he fights and holds himself is unlike anything any of us have seen. Including his brother. That is why he is still our Laird. No one would dare take it from him. He has earned his place, and though no’ everyone respects him for it, his men would do any and everything ta keep him safe.”
Islay swallowed, “I havena’ seen that.”
Roberta smiled, “Tomorrow, ye need ta go inta the yard and watch Callum train with his men. Ye will see then why they call him the devil. It isna just because of the ungodly noises coming from his room at all hours. Nay, he is a demon with his sword. The claymore of our clan. Most men couldna lift that sword if they tried, but ta Callum? It’s merely an extension of his body.”
Islay knew how heavy a claymore was. Her father had used it back when he was younger, but the older he got the less he was able to wield it, and eventually hung it up, never to use it again.
He hadn’t used it since right after she was born.
