Magni jumped out of his chair. “True. All true. He wants to invite others to join him.”
“Who?” Maitland asked.
Magni shrugged, taking another bite of his meat pie. “I don’t know. I saw another bad man there once, but I don’t know who he is.”
Maitland and Alaric glanced at each other again, as if thoughts passed from one to the other without words. Maitlandshook his head. “We’ll have to ask Tamsin if she knows Garvie’s plans, when she is able.”
“Is it your plan to take over the isle?” Thane asked, hoping he wasn’t being too bold.
Maitland snorted. “Nay. I have a newborn son on the way. My wife will join us once she has the bairn. She wishes to have a certain healer tend to her, which is why she is staying on the mainland until she has the lad.” Maitland closed his eyes. “And I miss her dearly.”
Thane didn’t understand this comment. He didn’t know many couples who truly enjoyed each other. Clan Grantham had given him much to think on because so many of their values went against his own. Was it time to adjust the cardinal truths he held close? He thought back on his nightmare, the one where the blood flowed around his feet. Were his parents happy? Could that woman have been his mother and not his aunt? Could he be happily married?
How he wished he knew exactly what had happened so many years ago. But then the harsh truth always brought him back. His mother, the one who had raised the three of them so harshly, was not the woman in his dream. But he had no idea who she was.
Dyna exited the healing chamber and headed for their group at the hearth. Thane stood up, hoping she was bringing good news and not bad. “Is she hale?”
Dyna nodded, taking a stool next to Maitland. “She will be fine. Eli said much as last time, she has many bruises. Different from last time is the number of cuts she has, evidence of her journey across the rocks. She has one ankle that is verra swollen, but I don’t think it is broken. Her walking will be limited for a while. If her husband left her as far out as she has said, then he’s definitely guilty of attempted murder.”
“She is coherent?” Thane asked.
“Aye. Awake, sipping on broth. She will heal, but not as fast as she hopes, I’m afraid.”
“Because she will go after her husband? Or her daughter?”
“Both,” Dyna said. “The only way to keep her here is to convince her that someone else will retrieve her daughter.”
Magni moved over to a spot in front of the hearth and lay down, curling up and closing his eyes. Dyna covered him with a blanket. “Maitland, what say you?”
“Alaric? Have we enough trained men?”
Alaric rubbed his hands together, thinking as he stared up at the rafters. “We’re still light, but what if we do a patrol first? See what we can learn? How many can you give us, MacQuarie?”
“About a score. I would ask if I could train with you on the morrow, before I leave. I could use some new skills of my own.”
“Of course. Alaric and Broc love adding newcomers to the lists. Beware,” Maitland said with a laugh.
“And how many guards do you have at this point?”
Alaric replied, “We’re nearing a score if we count all of us. We have another ten from the village who are training with us. I expect only half to stay, but they are strong. We can only offer a score at this point. How many MacVeys and Rankins. Have you any idea?”
Thane said, “Not exact numbers. MacVey is larger than Rankin. I’d guess Clan MacVey to be triple our size and Clan Rankin to be double. I cannot advise you as to their skill level.”
The door opened and Eli entered, closing it softly behind her. She walked to Alaric, and he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her neck, and Eli squirmed. “Soon enough, Alaric.” Then she turned and rubbed her bottom against him, giggling.
“Update, Eli, before you ravage your husband?” Dyna asked.
Thane thought he must have heard wrong. Eli ravage Alaric?
Eli stepped away from Alaric and said, “I will do my best to control myself. Lia and Tamsin are both asleep. I banked thefire so they should be fine.” Then she leaned over and kissed her husband, tugging him close. When she ended the kiss, she leaned into him, and he wrapped his arms around her. “Now may we go?”
Dyna said, “Go. I’ll show Thane and Magni to their chamber.” The two raced up the stairs. Alaric grabbed her and Eli giggled as they moved.
“They are newly wed,” Maitland explained. “Just as I am.”
His wistful answer was clear to Thane. Both were happily married.
“Watching those two together makes me miss my wife terribly.”
