Highland Supplanter (Book 2)

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Two days.

It had been two days.

And nothing had yet gone wrong.

Fyfa was in a state of disbelief. All her life she felt she was the cause of so much trouble. Her father blamed her for everything that had befallen them. And yet, here, with Hamish, nothing had happened in the last two days that had caused any pain to anyone. And that had her even more worried. She could not let her guard down.

She was not going to let her misfortune to affect Hamish. It was not allowed to happen. He had opened his home, and she had invaded his life. She would make sure she had no other issues to place upon the burden she had already forced him to carry with his choice of bride. He had given up his space and his home for her, and she could give him nothing in return except try and make his home life as comfortable as possible. And not bring upon him the misfortune she seemed to carry around with her.

Shaking her head to clear it of those thoughts, she turned back to the fireplace, and the meal she had cooking slowly. Hamish had been on duty for most of the day, and in this snow and wind he was sure to be an icicle upon his return. All she could do was to provide him with a warm meal and a warm home. It was something he had admitted the day before. That he usually spent a lot of time within the main hall, and found his cottage cold and dark upon his return. She would make sure those memories would no longer hold true.

Bustling around the main room. Trying to make sure everything was perfect. That nothing burned while she tried to make sure what she was preparing was correctly mixed. She did not want Hamish to become ill after she had tried so hard to make herself less of a burden. That would be irony working at its best. Even as she could not stop her thoughts from taking her back to the dark thoughts.

Something was going to go wrong.

It always did.

She could not stop it.

But she could try and limit the damage this time.

This time she had something to fight for.

She had someone who had promised to be there for her. And even though she felt beholden and unworthy, she could not and would not forget his promise. Not after what she had been through while ignoring his help in the past.

As she turned to make sure the pot in the hearth was not turning to a blackened paste, she moved to quickly. And ended up stumbling against the mantle. Only just managing to grab a hold before she fell face first into the roaring fire. Sweat beading upon her brow. One hand keeping her upright against the mantle, the trying to grasp a hold of her ribs, as pain lanced through her.

Breaths coming in short gasps.

Tears springing to life, her gaze coated by a watery film.

She almost did not notice the sweeping chill that pricked goose bumps, even as close to the flames as she was. As she could not move, could not make it seem as if nothing was wrong, she was not surprised at all to find Hamish’s large, though cold, hands encircling her waist. Only moments later.

“Fyfa, what is wrong?” The worried not in his voice had her momentarily stunned. Yet, she could not immediately reply, due to the pain, rather than it being a stunned silence that would have affected her if the pain had not overtaken her.

She was pulled away from the mantle and found herself seated before her mind had caught up with what was happening. Finding Hamish knelt before her, concern written across his face. But there was more. She had learnt nuances in emotion and expressions, from years of having to work out what mood her father was in, and how much pain it would lead to.  There was something more than the concern for her physical pain at that moment. There was a hidden depth she was unsure of, but knew enough of Hamish to know he would not keep it from her.

Whatever the trouble, he would not keep her in the dark. For they both had seen too much darkness, to know exactly what it could do to a person, not to have all the information possible. Information was key to survival as much as strength and wit.

Hamish had not known what words to say to explain what had happened while he was on guard. The events that had ensued had not been what Fyfa needed to hear. But he had decided when Cam had sent him back. She needed to know. He would not keep such from her. It was not his right, or his place to keep her in the darkness she had been in so long. He had promised to give her what she needed, and information. Knowledge, was important if she was to be kept safe.

The chilling cold, the numbness and snow slowly melting upon his garments were ignored the moment he opened the cottage door. It was still surprising to find warmth and wondrous smells upon entering his home. It was not anything he had expected for so long. And yet having it back once more, it filled an empty space within him.

It took less than a second for him to realise Fyfa’s stance was completely wrong. Her pain seemed to radiate from her. He could almost feel it from across the room. He was beside her quicker than he knew he could be. Was knelt before her in less time than he thought possible. The pain could be seen in the tightness that appeared in her flawless paleness. His concern made him want to hunt down Nessia and demand she help ease Fyfa’s suffering. Yet, at the same time, he did not want to leave her when she so obviously needed someone there for her.

Her voice tremulous as she answered him. The pain seeping in, even as he knew she tried to hide it. “Fine, Hamish, really. I just turned too quickly. Pulled my ribs.” At his look of disbelief, she continued, her hands rising to cup his face between her palms. “Honestly,” a small smile was forced to her face, “and if you do not let me rise, your supper will be burnt.”

He let her rise, and watched intently, as he sat at the table. Watching her move carefully around the room. Collecting and depositing different food and items. He did not think he had eaten so well within his own walls since his mother’s death, and he was getting a little emotional over it. It was so strange what brought about memories that led to such a response. Shaking himself a little, while her back was turned, he thought back over the issue he needed to speak with her about. And how to broach such a difficult topic.

In comfortable silence, they ate a hearty, warm, tasty meal. And with the heat seeping into his bones, and he relaxed. He realised that he was becoming the man his friends had known him as when he was younger. Less troubled.

And now.

Now as he was starting to feel lighter. He had to add troubles to Fyfa. When he knew she had been through too much in her young life already.