Highland Supplanter (Book 2)

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Hamish waited until he heard Nessia tidying up her stock before he headed back into the other room. “Anything else you need doing Nessia, just let me know, especially with Corey stuck down near the border lands for winter.” Which was one reason why Hamish was so comfortable coming here earlier. He had no wish so see the boy again, but knew come the time when the snow melted and the mountain passes reopened, he would return. It was not a moment Hamish was looking forward to, but until that point, he would look out for Nessia as she was integral for the health of the clan.

Fyfa he could see was tying a knot in the end of a bandage that ran up her leg, as Nessia turned to great him. “Ah, yes, Hamish. Can I just show you something? Fyfa, you stay right there I will only be a moment.” He watched as she waved her finger at the girl and took him back through the curtain. He waited for her to point in the direction he was needed, as he was earlier. Whereas, now he observed her as she took a deep breath and turned to face him. Her expression made him think of the feelings he had first felt upon the knowledge of how Fyfa had been allowed to live for so long.

“Hamish.” She sighed shaking her head, hands back on her hips. “That girl is in a sorry state. She needs warmth, food, and clothing that actually does some good against this weather. Have you seen the state of her boots, no wonder she was limping.” She seemed weary of a sudden before him. He had very rarely seen the animated woman look so. “We look after our own Hamish. I have always been proud of my clan for that. Sharing what we have in order to all survive and flourish. Yet nobody saw this.” Giving him a heated look. “I say nobody, but you did Hamish. Is there anything I can do to help? I know she will not accept it directly from me, she has her grandmother’s stubbornness.”

Hamish was not shocked by the help request. The twins had been the same. It was more that it was exactly the same situation he had been in himself. No one had seen anything wrong, and all of a sudden it was thrown in their faces and they wanted to make up for missing it. Yet no one had any real idea how. Hamish ran a hand through his hair. “I do not know what to say. I have been trying to help for the last year, but have just realised how little I have actually managed to do. She refuses help unless it is subtle or forced upon her. And I am trying to come up with an idea on how to try and help her get out of her situation, but I am unsure as of yet as to what to do.”

He was distracted by the tapping of Nessia’s foot as she thought, and so almost missed what she had begun to say. “All right, this is how it will go, you have till the morrow to work out a plan Hamish. I will keep her here tonight. Say I need to make sure that what I have given her is working. You will pick her up at this hour, and you will explain to me your plan. My advice would be go and talk it out with Camdyn and Aislinn, see what they can do to help. This clan will be there for that girl, we just need to know how. This has been going on for too long. I will not be fixing her up for her to go back and get the same treatment again.” She held up a finger. “One day Hamish, and if you do not come up with a plan I will get Isla involved, and I am sure you do not want that.” With that she brushed past him as he winced. If Isla found out she had kept this from her, he would get the ear bashing of a lifetime. What she did to him and Cam when they were younger would be hugs and kisses compared to what she could do.

Sighing he turned to head back into the other room once more. He glanced over as Fyfa was, unsuccessfully, arguing against Nessia’s plan. When she looked pleadingly at him. He put his hands up palms outwards. Shaking his head and smiling he backed up, grabbed his cloak, and made his way out the door. He knew she would try and retaliate for leaving her, and all he could really was that he was actually looking forward to it. She was intelligent and had been going up against him for the last year, and more than once had won.

Making sure the door was solid closed behind him. Helping Nessia out there, at least one escape route had been dealt with. He could very well see Fyfa trying something. But as he stomped his way through a snow bank, he smiled, Nessia was used to dealing with her constantly escaping children. She could deal with an injured Fyfa. He was still smiling at the different plans Fyfa could come up with over the next few hours as he made his way inside the main hall. Shaking the fresh snow from his cloak and hair.

Seeing the twins were still slumped over, looking glum, where he had left them earlier. About to head in their direction, he noticed Cam coming down the stairs from the family quarters, bairn in arms. Never breaking stride, with Nessia’s words in mind, he changed direction. The twins never even noticed him as he passed. He reached Cam just as he took a seat at the top table, seeming to fiddle with the broach Catriona was trying to fit inside her mouth.

Coming beside him, he would not presume as he would have a year ago. He felt as if there was a distance between the two. It was the first time in his life he had not known how to act around Cam. And from the stiffness in Cam’s shoulders, it was noticed, and reciprocated. Sighing, he had created this mess, he would be the first to try and solve it. “Do you have a moment?” The surprise that covered Cam’s face hit him hard, but the smile as he waved the chair beside him. “Of course, sit. Aislinn will be down in a moment, and then we will be alone.”

Hamish reached out, tapping Catriona on the nose, catching her attention. After giggling in his direction, her mouth reattached itself back on the ancient broach attached to Cam’s plaid. Much to Cam’s annoyance. “She just will not leave it alone.” Turning to face him fully, both men were silent a moment, waiting for the other to speak. Hamish knew he could not ask Cam to fix this on his own, and took a deep breath. “I know how I have been for the last few months. And have no right to it. But I would appreciate your help.” Looking up at the ceiling, high above them. “If you are willing.”

Cam saw Aislinn pause in the entrance to the main hall from the family quarter. At his slight nod, she approached. Inside he felt a seed of hope that his friend was coming back to them. Helping Catriona stand on his lap as she wiggled around, spotting her mother. “Hamish, whatever you need, you know I will hear you out.” He did not mention how distant he had been, allowed him to speak as he would. They weren’t ones to talk of feelings, but he would be there for whatever he needed. Hamish rolled his head along the edge of the chair as he followed Aislinn’s movements. As she retrieved the bairn and silently kissed Cam on the cheek, she turned. Pausing before leaving, she placed a hand on Hamish’s shoulder before leaving them both too their conversation.

“I was jealous you know.” Cam was shocked at that, for some reason he had never expected Hamish to admit such a thing. “Jealous? Hamish, of what?”

“Cam, you managed to succeed where I failed. You have a wonderful wife, a bairn and another on the way. I had expected myself to be in that position by now. And yet, while I know you have involved me, I let that jealousy separate myself from you. I let that jealousy make me seem as if I was unwanted.” As Cam reached out Hamish shook his head. “I know, but I could not stop the way I felt. And I wanted to get that out of the way before I tell of my troubles.” Cam left it at that. For Hamish to say such meant he was trying to get past it. Instead he focused on what had brought him back.

“Well, shall we see what we can do? Shall I call the twins over?” Shocked once more, Hamish laughed at that comment. “Something I said?” Hamish smirked as he calmed himself. “There are having the same problem as me. So I would appreciate being one step ahead of them.” With their friendship heading back on track, Hamish explained what he had been doing in his spare time over the last year, and how it had brought him here today. And knew, he had made a good choice today. Whatever happened from here, he was not alone.