thatch and wood clung to him as he walked away down the lane. Strong hands gripped Jenny’s shoulders to keep her from following. Charlie said, “He’ll not be fit company for a while.”
“I know. But I hate to see him so.”
Callum arrived with a horse and a cart. He went over to Duncan’s parents and spoke in quiet tones of the croft by the sea.
Jenny said, “It’s so easy for him.”
“What is?” asked Charlie.
“He takes everything in stride, and he does what is right with such ease.”
Charlie shrugged. “Och, ’tis easy to do the right thing when you’re the chief’s son with land and wealth at your disposal.”
“It was not always like that for him, and you know it.”
Nodding, Charlie said, “Since his father has acknowledged him as his heir, Callum has shown himself worthy.”
Jenny watched Callum crouch down beside Duncan’s parents, placating their worries, while Mari tended to their comfort.
“I should help.” Jenny started toward them, but Charlie held her back.
“They have help. There is no need to swarm about them.”
She looked toward the path Duncan had taken, and then back to his parents. “It seems that I’m no use to anyone.”
“Come with me.” Charlie held out his hand.
With a smile, Jenny took it and followed him as he ambled down the narrow footpath.
“You’ve had quite a night.”
Jenny glanced at him and blushed. She knew Charlie too well.
With mischief in his eyes, Charlie said, “That’s not quite to what I was referring, but since you’ve brought up the subject, you’ve had quite a night, have you?”
“Charlie!” She pushed him away and kept walking. “You’re a terrible man!”
“I try my best.”
Jenny said, “Och! I dinnae know why I bother with you at all.”
“Because we’ve been friends our whole lives and you haven’t a choice anymore.”
“Aye, well that much is true.” She hooked her arm into his. “And as much as I hate to admit it, I’m lucky to have you.”
“That’s what all the lassies say,” Charlie said with a satisfied grin.
They walked along for a time, until Jenny broke the comfortable silence with a troubled sigh. “Duncan feels every wrong deeply.”
“That is how Duncan always has been. You cannae change a man’s nature.”
“I dinnae want to. I just want to help him, but there’s nothing to do.”
“You married him. You make him happy.”
Jenny gave a wry laugh. “Happy? Without me, he’d have a home and his parents would be asleep in their bed now.”
“You cannae help what others do.”
“I suppose you are right.”
Charlie stopped and took hold of her shoulders as he peered at her. “Dearie, I am always right.”
She laughed, in spite of herself, and was met with one of Charlie’s most charming grins.
He nodded toward a tree by the lake, where Duncan often went to think through his troubles. There he sat facing the water.
With a grateful smile, she said, “Charlie, you’re not so terrible, really.”
“Wheesht! I’ll not have such talk.” Charlie shooed her away and watched until she was safely at Duncan’s side.
*
Jenny sat beside Duncan and watched the rising sun cast a path over the water to burn off the mist that still clung to the trees.
Duncan put his hand over hers.
She said, “Dinnae leave me like that again.”
“It has naught to do with you.”
“It has now, for you’ve made me your wife.”
He searched her eyes with a puzzled expression.
Jenny was quiet but firm. “If you carry a burden, I’ll share it.”
“Jenny.” He shook his head as he turned.
“Duncan,” she answered right back. “If you love me, then look at me now.”
He turned and faced her out of spite, but with tears in his eyes. She had never seen him like this, and her heart broke to see it. She rose to her knees so she could circle her arms about his neck. There she held him. The broken coin hung from her neck. Duncan touched it and the skin it lay against. He reached
“I know. But I hate to see him so.”
Callum arrived with a horse and a cart. He went over to Duncan’s parents and spoke in quiet tones of the croft by the sea.
Jenny said, “It’s so easy for him.”
“What is?” asked Charlie.
“He takes everything in stride, and he does what is right with such ease.”
Charlie shrugged. “Och, ’tis easy to do the right thing when you’re the chief’s son with land and wealth at your disposal.”
“It was not always like that for him, and you know it.”
Nodding, Charlie said, “Since his father has acknowledged him as his heir, Callum has shown himself worthy.”
Jenny watched Callum crouch down beside Duncan’s parents, placating their worries, while Mari tended to their comfort.
“I should help.” Jenny started toward them, but Charlie held her back.
“They have help. There is no need to swarm about them.”
She looked toward the path Duncan had taken, and then back to his parents. “It seems that I’m no use to anyone.”
“Come with me.” Charlie held out his hand.
With a smile, Jenny took it and followed him as he ambled down the narrow footpath.
“You’ve had quite a night.”
Jenny glanced at him and blushed. She knew Charlie too well.
With mischief in his eyes, Charlie said, “That’s not quite to what I was referring, but since you’ve brought up the subject, you’ve had quite a night, have you?”
“Charlie!” She pushed him away and kept walking. “You’re a terrible man!”
“I try my best.”
Jenny said, “Och! I dinnae know why I bother with you at all.”
“Because we’ve been friends our whole lives and you haven’t a choice anymore.”
“Aye, well that much is true.” She hooked her arm into his. “And as much as I hate to admit it, I’m lucky to have you.”
“That’s what all the lassies say,” Charlie said with a satisfied grin.
They walked along for a time, until Jenny broke the comfortable silence with a troubled sigh. “Duncan feels every wrong deeply.”
“That is how Duncan always has been. You cannae change a man’s nature.”
“I dinnae want to. I just want to help him, but there’s nothing to do.”
“You married him. You make him happy.”
Jenny gave a wry laugh. “Happy? Without me, he’d have a home and his parents would be asleep in their bed now.”
“You cannae help what others do.”
“I suppose you are right.”
Charlie stopped and took hold of her shoulders as he peered at her. “Dearie, I am always right.”
She laughed, in spite of herself, and was met with one of Charlie’s most charming grins.
He nodded toward a tree by the lake, where Duncan often went to think through his troubles. There he sat facing the water.
With a grateful smile, she said, “Charlie, you’re not so terrible, really.”
“Wheesht! I’ll not have such talk.” Charlie shooed her away and watched until she was safely at Duncan’s side.
*
Jenny sat beside Duncan and watched the rising sun cast a path over the water to burn off the mist that still clung to the trees.
Duncan put his hand over hers.
She said, “Dinnae leave me like that again.”
“It has naught to do with you.”
“It has now, for you’ve made me your wife.”
He searched her eyes with a puzzled expression.
Jenny was quiet but firm. “If you carry a burden, I’ll share it.”
“Jenny.” He shook his head as he turned.
“Duncan,” she answered right back. “If you love me, then look at me now.”
He turned and faced her out of spite, but with tears in his eyes. She had never seen him like this, and her heart broke to see it. She rose to her knees so she could circle her arms about his neck. There she held him. The broken coin hung from her neck. Duncan touched it and the skin it lay against. He reached
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