Highland Chieftain Read Online Free Page A

the tavern even though it meant there was a good chance he could return drunk. His drinking had also grown worse lately and she suspected it was one of the things that made his temper so uncertain.
    As soon as she put Margaret to bed, she moved to the large wooden chest in the corner of the room. The scent of lavender wafted up to her as she began to go through all the clothes stored there to find a small nightshirt. Little Cathan had nothing and she was sure the boys had not thought to give him anything. She finally found one that she suspected would fit, closed the chest, and headed up to the loft.
    Bethoc sighed when she found young Cathan huddled under a blanket on a pallet near the wall. She would have to see to a rope-strung cot for him. He stared at her wide-eyed when she sat down near his bed and held out the nightshirt.
    â€œHas Callum come for me?” he asked.
    For a moment she could not speak, she was so stunned. How did this child know Sir Callum? “Sir Callum MacMillan?” she asked as she helped him sit up.
    Cathan nodded as she took off his shoes, a little surprised that he had kept them on. “Aye. Sir Callum, a great knight and a laird. He saved me from the bad men.”
    She tugged off his shirt and winced at the bruises on his little body. “Bad men who did this?”
    He frowned and touched a bruise over his ribs. “I wouldnae be quiet. I kept yelling for Callum but they were beating him and then threw him in the river.” He looked at her with eyes awash in tears. “He is dead, aye?”
    â€œOch, nay. Nay.” She slipped on his nightshirt and gently hugged him. “I found him but it must stay a secret. Do ye understand?”
    Cathan nodded. “So when will he come to get me?”
    â€œI dinnae ken.” She urged him to lie back down and tucked him in. “He needs to heal. He was badly injured.”
    â€œBut the bad men might take me again.”
    â€œWho are these bad men, child?”
    â€œThe ones who want me. My papa had some things they wanted but they are mine now.”
    â€œWhat things?”
    â€œLand and coin.” He puffed up his skinny chest. “I am a laird, ye ken, and they want all that.” Then he looked close to tears. “My maman took me to Callum and asked him to help us.”
    â€œAnd your papa?”
    â€œHe died but I dinnae want to ’member how, but it was when the bad men came and all the trouble started. Maman and I had to hide but we could see. We could see,” he added in a whisper, and shivered.
    She brushed his red curls off his forehead. “I am sorry, lad.”
    â€œWill Callum come for me?” he asked as his eyes started to close. “He has to come for me. Maman says he is our champion.”
    â€œI am sure he will as soon as he is weel.”
    Bethoc sat beside him until he was asleep. She did not know what to do. Her father had put them all at risk. The men little Cathan feared could well come after her father. If they came to this house, all of them would be in danger, and these men had shown no hesitation to kill to get what they wanted. She could not believe he would be so foolish. He had to have not known what trouble followed the boy although she could not feel confident about that. Her father often thought himself invincible because of his cleverness.
    What had she got herself in the middle of? The minute she thought that, she sighed. All she had done was help someone in trouble and she could not see herself doing anything differently. She could not have left him to drown, or to just lie on the shore unable to move. A soft noise at her side pulled her from her thoughts and she turned to see Bean and Colin flanking her.
    â€œYe ken this Callum he asks for,” said Bean as he sat down.
    For a moment she thought about lying, then grimaced. They had closely heard what was said. They were also at risk. It was only fair that she let them know. If nothing else, they